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HERTZBERG  — NEW  METHOD,  INC.  EAST  VANDALIA  ROAD,  JACKSONVILLE,  ILL.  62650 

TITLE  NO.  I ACCOUNT  NO.  I LOT  AND  TICKET  NO. 


I 


lo  kia  Sons,  William  Richardson  Robinson 
and  Matthew  Wilkinson  Robins )n. 

% 

THIS  VOLUME  OF  ENGLISH  HISTORY 

l»  SPECIALLY  INSCRIBED,  BY  THEIR  AFFECTIOH 

ATE  FATHER. 

Clifton  Rectory  ; near  P*%r%th9 
March  15, 1333. 


PREFACE. 


The  following  Work  claims  no  high** 
merit,  than  that  of  being  a faithful  abridg- 
ment of  Hume  and  Smollett’s  Histories 
of  England,  with  a continuation  from  ac 
thentic  documents  of  events  between  tne 
year  1760  and  the  coronation  of  George 
the  Fourth.  The  author  hopes  that  the 
whole  will  prove  useful  as  a manual  to 
juvenile  students,  for  whom  it  is  chiefly 
designed. 

The  necessity  of  acquiring  knowledge 
of  the  history  of  our  own  country,  and  of 
public  events  in  which  Great  Britain  has 
participated,  is  so  obvious,  as  to  render  it 
unnecessary  to  prove,  that  the  history  of 
their  own  country  is  a study  which  no 
British  youth  of  either  sex  ought  to  neg- 
lect. 

The  author  has  endeavoured  to  devest 
himself  of  all  party  spirit,  and,  in  record- 
ing the  successive  facts,  he  has  allowed 
no  prejudices  of  his  own  to  intermingle 
with  the  narration.  Truth,  and  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  British  Constitution,  have 
been  the  standards  by  which  his  labours 


1 


PREFACE. 


and  sentiments  have  uniformly  been  guid- 
ed. 

The  History  of  Mr.  Hume  having  ^ob- 
tained an  unrivalled  degree  of  literary 
precedency,  and  that  of  Dr.  Smollett 
having  been  generally  recognised  as  a 
worthy  continuation  from  the  Revolution 
to  the  demise  of  George  II.,  it  is  reasona- 
ble that  a succinct  compression  of  these 
standard  national  works  should  be  pre- 
ferred to  all  others  for  purposes  of  educa- 
tion. But  the  design  would  have  been 
incomplete  without  a continuation  to  the 
present  age  ; and,  though  the  author  is 
aware  of  the  delicate  responsibility  of  be- 
coming a contemporary  historian,  yet,  as 
the  duty  became  necessary,  he  has  en- 
deavoured to  perform  it  with  care  and 
fidelity. 

The  Tables  and  Facts  contained  in  the 
Appendix  form  new  features  of  such  a 
work  as  the  present ; but  they  furnish 
data,  from  which  the  student  will  be  able 
to  draw  many  valuable  conclusions,  and 
will  tend  to  illustrate  and  corroborate 
many  details  in  the  text  of  the  History. 


THE 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Britons — Romans — Saxons — The  Heptarchy. 

All  ancient  writers  agree  in  representing  the  first 
inhabitants  of  Britain  as  a tribe  of  the  Gauls  or  Celts, 
who  peopled  that  island  from  the  neighbouring  conti- 
nent Their  language  was  the  same — their  manners, 
their  government,  their  superstition  j — varied  only  by 
•“hose  small  differences,  which  time,  ,r  a communica- 
tion with  the  bordering  nations,  must  necessarily  in 
Produce.  The  inhabitants  of  Gaul,  especially  in  those 
parts  which  lie  contiguous  to  Italy,  had  acquired,  from 
i commerce  with  their  southern  neighbours,  some  re- 
finement in  the  arts,  which  gradually  diffused  them- 
selves northwards,  and  spread  only  a very  faint  light 
over  this  island.  The  Greek  and  Roman  navigators 
or  merchants,  gave  the  most  shocking  accounts  of  the 
ferocity  of  the  people,  which  they  magnified,  as  usual, 
in  order  to  excite  the  admiration  of  their  countrymen. 
However,  the  south-east  parts  of  Britain  had  already, 
before  the  age  of  Caesar,  made  the  first  and  most  re- 
quisite step  towards  a civil  settlement  j and  the  Brit- 
ons, by  tillage  and  agriculture,  had  there  increased  to 
a great  multitude.  The  other  inhabitants  of  the  isl- 
and s 11  maintained*  themselves  by  pasture.  They 
were  c othed  with  skins  of  beasts.  They  dwelt  in 
huts  that  they  reared  in  the  forests  and  marshes,  with 
which  the  country  was  covered.  They  easily  remov- 
ed their  habitation,  when  actuated  either  by  the  hopes 
of  plunder,  or  fhe  fear  of  an  enemy.  The  conveni 
ence  of  feeding  their  cattle  was  even  a sufficiert  mo 


6 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


tiv<  for  removing  their  dwellings  3 and,  as  they  were 
ignorant  of  all  the  refinements  of  life,  their  wants  and 
their  possessions  were  equally  limited  and  scanty. 

The  Britons  were  divided  into  many  small  rations 
or  tribes  3 and,  being  a military  people,  whose  sole 
property  was  their  arms  and  their  cattle,  it  was  impos- 
sible, after  they  had  acquired  a relish  of  liberty,  lor 
their  princes  or  chieftains  to  establish  any  despotic  au- 
thority over  them.  Their  governments,  though  mon- 
archical, were  free  ; and  the  common  people  seem  to 
have  enjoyed  even  more  liberty  afiaong  them,  than 
among  the  nations  of  Gaul,  from  whom  they  .vere  de- 
scended. Each  state  was  divided  into  factions  within 
itself.  It  was  agitated  with  jealousy  or  animosi  y 
against  the  neighbouring  states  3 and  while  the  arts  of 
peace  were  yet  unknown,  wars  were  the  chief  occu- 
pation, and  formed  the  chief  object  of  ambition  among 
the  people. 

The  religion  of  the  Britons  was  one  of  the  most 
considerable  parts  of  their  government;  and  the 
Druids,  who  were  their  priests,  possessed  great  au- 
thority. They  enjoyed  an  immunity  from  wars  and 
taxes.  They  possessed  both  the  civil  and  criminal 
jurisdiction.  They  decided  all  controversies  among 
states,  as  well  as  among  private  persons  3 and  whoev- 
er refused  to  submit  to  their  decree,  was  exposed  to 
the  most  severe  penalties.  Thus,  the  bands  of  gov- 
ernment, which  were  naturally  loose  among  that  rude 
and  turbulent  people,  were  happily  corroborated  by  the 
terrors  of  their  superstition.  No  species  of  supersti- 
tion was  ever  more  terrible  than  that  of  the  Druids. 
Besides  the  severe  penalties  which  it  was  in  their 
power  to  inflict  in  this  world,  they  inculcated  the  eter- 
nal transmigration  of  souls,  and  thereby  extended  their 
authority  as  far  as  the  fears  of  their  votaries.  Human 
sacrifices  vere  practised  among  them.  The  spoils  of 
war  were  often  devoted  to  their  divinities  3 and  they 
punished  with  the  severest  tortures  those  who  dared 
to  secrete  any  part  of  the  consecrated  offering.  These 
treasures  they  kept  in  woods  and  forests,  secured  by 
no  other  guard  than  the  terrors  of  their  religion  ; and 
this  steady  conquest  over  human  cupidity  may  be  re- 
garded as  more  signal  than  their  prompting  men  to  the 
onost  extraordinary  and  most  violent  efforts.  No  idol 


THE  BRITONS.  7 

atrous  worship  ever  attained  sucli  an  ascendency  ove» 
mankind,  as  that  of  the  ancient  Gauls  ar.d  Britons. 

The  Britons  had  long  remained  in  this  rude  and  in- 
dependent state,  when  Caesar,  having  overrun  all  Gaul 
bv  his  victories,  and  being  ambitious  of  carrying  the 
Roman  arms  into  a new  world,  then  mostly  unknown, 
took  advantage  of  a short  interval  in  his  Gaulic  wars, 
and  invaded  Britain.  The  natives,  informed  of  his 
intention,  were  sensible  of  the  unequal  contest,  and 
endeavoured  to  appease  him  by  submissions  3 but  these 
retarded  not  the  execution  of  his  design.  After  some 
er*1  resistance,  Caesar  landed,  as  is  supposed,  at  Deal j 
3 and  having  obtained  several  advantages  over  the 
Britons,  and  obliged  them  to  promise  hostages  for 
their  future  obedience,  he  was  constrained,,  by  the 
necessity  of  his  atfairs,  and  the  approach  of  winter,  to 
withdraw  his  forces  into  Gaul.  The  Britons,  relieved 
from  the  terror  of  his  arms,  neglected  the  perform- 
ance of  their  stipulations  3 and  that  haughty  conquer- 
or resolved  next  summer  to  chastise  them  for  this 
breach  of  treaty.  He  landed  with  a greater  force  3 
and  though  he  found  a more  regular  resistance  from 
the  Britons  who  had  united  under  Cassivelaunus.  one 
of  their  petty  princes,  he  discomfited  them  in  every 
action.  He  advanced  into  the  country  3 passed  the 
Thames  in  the  face  of  the  enemy  3 took  and  burned 
the  capital  of  Cassivelaunus  3 established  his  ally, 
Mandubratius,  in  the  sovereignty  of  the  Trinobantes  3 
and  having  obliged  the  inhabitants  to  make’him  new 
submissions,  he  again  returned  with  his  army’  into 
Gaul,  and  left  the  authority  of  the  Romans  more  nom- 
inal than  real  in  this  island. 

The  civil  wars  which  ensued  saved  the  Britons  from 
that  yoke  which  was  ready  to  be  imposed  upon  them. 
Augustus,  the  successor  of  Caesar,  content  with  the 
victory  obtained  over  the  liberties  of  his  own  country, 
was  little  ambitious  of  acquiring  fame  by  foreign  wars. 
Tiberius,  zealous  of  the  fame  which  might  be  acquir- 
ed by  his  generals,  made  this  advice  of  Augustus  a 
pretence  for  his  inactivity.  The  mad  sallies  of  Cali- 
gula, in  which  he  menaced  Britain  with  an  invasion, 
served  only  to  expose  himself  and  the  empire  to  ridi- 
cule 3 and  the  Britons,  during  almost  a century,  en- 

* Before  Christ. 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


joyed  their  liberty  unmolested.  In  the  reign  of  Clau 
dius,  the  Romans  began  to  think  seriously  of  reducing 
them  under  their  dominion.  Without  seeking  any 
justifiable  reasons  of  hostility,  they  sent  over  an  army 
£2*-.  under  the  command  of  Plautius,  an  able  general 
-*  who  gained  some  victories,  and  made  a consider 
able  progress  in  subduing  the  inhabitants.  Claudius 
himself,  finding  matters  sufficiently  prepared  for  his 
reception,  made  a journey  into  Britain,  and  received 
the  submission  of  several  British  states,  the  Cantii, 
Atrebates,  Regni,  and  Trinob^ntes,  who  inhabited  the 
south-east  parts  of  the  island.  The  other  Britons,  un- 
der the  command  of  Caractacus,  still  maintained  an 
obstinate  resistance  ; and  the  Romans  made  little  pro- 
gress against  them,  till  Ostorius  Scapula  was  sent  over 
tQi  to  command  their  armies.  This  general  advanc- 
* ed  the  Roman  conquests  over  the  Britons  5 pierc- 
ed into  the  country  of  the  Silures,  a warlike  nation 
who  inhabited  the  banks  of  the  Severn  5 defeated  Car 
actacus  in  a great  battle  5 took  him  prisoner,  and  ser.t 
him  to  Rome,  where  his  magnanimous  behaviour  pro- 
cured him  better  treatment  than  the  Romans  usually 
bestowed  on  captive  princes. 

Notwithstanding  these  misfortunes,  the  spirit  of  the 
Britons  was  not  subdued.  In  the  reign  of  Nero,  Sue- 
tonius Paulinus  was  invested  with  the  command,  and 
penetrated  into  the  island  of  Mona,  now  Anglesey,  the 
chief  seat  of  the  Druids.  He  drove  the  Britons  off 
the  field,  burned  the  Druids  in  those  fires  which  the 
priests  had  prepared  for  their  captive  enemies,  and 
destroyed  all  the  consecrated  groves  and  altars.  Hav- 
ing thus  triumphed  over  the  religion  of  the  Britons, 
Suetonius  expected  that  his  future  progress  would  be 
easy,  in  reducing  the  people  to  subjection.  But  the 
Britons,  headed  by  Boadicea,  queen  of  the  lcena,  who 
had  been  treated  in  the  most  ignominious  manner  by 
the  Roman  tribunes,  attacked  with  success  several 
settlements  of  their  insulting  conquerors.  London, 
which  was  already  a flourishing  Roman  colony,  was 
reduced  to  ashes  ; and  the  Romans  and  all  strangers, 
to  the  number  of  seventy  thousand,  were  massacred 
by  the  exasperated  natives.  Their  fate,  however,  was 
toon  after  avenged  by  Suetonius,  in  a bloody  and  de- 

* This  and  the  following  dates,  after  Chiist 


THE  ROMANS.  9 

eisive  battle,  in  which  eighty  thousand  Britons  are 
Baid  to  have  perished  j and  Boadicea,  rather  than  sub- 
mit to  the  victor,  put  an  end  to  her  life  by  poison. 

Julius  Agricola,  who  governed  Britain  in  the  reigns 
of  Vespasian,  Titus,  and  Domitian,  formed  a reg- 

J ular  plan  for  subduing  this  island,  and  rendering 
the  acquisition  useful  to  the  conquerors.  He  carried 
his  victorious  arms  northwards  ; defeated  the  Britons 
in  every  encounter ; pierced  the  forests  and  moun- 
tains of  Caledonia  j and  reduced  every  state  to  subjec- 
tion in  the  southern  parts  of  the  island.  Having  fix- 
ed a chain  of  forts  between  the  friths  of  Clyde  and 
Forth,  he  secured  the  Roman  province  from  the  in 
cursions  of  its  ferocious  neighbours. 

During  these  military  enterprises,  Agricola  did  not 
neglect  the  arts  of  peace.  He  introduced  laws  and 
arts  among  the  Britons  ; taught  them  to  value  the  con- 
veniences of  life  ; reconciled  them  to  the  Roman  lan- 
guage and  manners  5 instructed  them  in  letters  and 
science  ; and  endeavoured  to  render  their  chains  easy. 

3y  this  conduct,  the  inhabitants  gradually  acquiesced 
n the  dominion  of  their  masters. 

To  secure  the  Roman  province  from  the  irruptions 
of  the  Caledonians,  Adrian  built  a rampart  between 
the  river  Tyne  and  tne  frith  of  Solway  ; this  was 
strengthened  with  new  fortifications  by  Severus  5 and 
during  the  reigns  of  the  other  Roman  emperors,  such 
a profound  tranquillity  prevailed  in  Britain,  that  little  1 

mention  is  made  of  the  affairs  of  that  island  by  any 
historian.  The  natives,  disarmed,  dispirited,  and  sub- 
missive, had  lost  even  the  idea  of  their  former  inde- 
pendence. 

But  the  Roman  empire,  which  had  diffused  slavery 
and  oppression,  together  with  a knowledge  of  the  arts, 
over  a considerable  part  of  the  globe,  approached  its 
dissolution.  Italy,  and  the  centre  of  the  empirb,  re- 
moved, during  so  many  ages,  from  all  concern  in  the 
wars,  had  entirely  lost  its  military  spirit,  and  were 
peopled  by  an  enervated  race,  equally  ready  to  submit 
to  a foreign  yoke,  or  to  the  tyranny  of  their  own  rul. 
ers.  The  northern  barbarians  assailed  all  the  fron- 
tiers of  the  Roman  empire.  Instead  of  arming  tha 
people  in  their  own  defence,  the  emperors  recalled  all 
the  distant  legions,  in  whom  alone  they  could  rc  pose 


k 

(0  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

confidence.  Britain  being  a remote  province,  and  not 
much  valued  by  the  Romans,  the  legions  that  defend- 
ed it  were  employed  in  the  protection  of  Italy  and 
Gaul  5 and  that  island,  secured  by  the  sea  against  the 
inroads  of  the  greater  tribes  of  barbarians,  found  ene- 
* mies  on  its  frontiers,  ready  to  take  advantage  of  its 
defenceless  situation.  The  Piets,  who  were  a tribe 
of  the  British  race  driven  northwards  by  the  arms  of 
Agricola,  and  the  Scots,  who  were  supposed  to  have 
migrated  from  Ireland,  pierced  the  rampart  of  Adrian, 
no  longer  defended  by  the  Roman  arms,  and  extended 
their  ravages  over  the  fairest  part  of  the  country.  The 
R.omans,  reduced  to  extremities  at  home,  and  fatigued 
with  distant  expeditions,  informed  the  Britons  that 
they  must  no  longer  look  to  them  for  succour  ; ex- 
ported them  to  arm  in  their  own  defence  3 and  urged 
them  to  protect  by  their  valour  their  ancient  indepen- 
dence. Accordingly,  the  Romans  took  a final  adieu 
of  Britain,  after  having  been  masters  of  the  best  por- 
tion of  it  nearly  four  centuries. 

The  abject  Britons  of  the  south,  unaccustomed  to 
i the  perils  of  war  and  the  cares  of  civil  govern- 
-*  ment,  found  themselves  incapable  of  resisting 
the  incursions  of  their  fierce  and  savage  neighbours. 
The  Piets  and  Scots  now  regarded  the  whole  of  Brit- 
ain  as  their  prey  j and  the  ramparts  of  the  northern 
wall  proved  only  a weak  defence  against  the  attacks 
of  those  barbarians.  The  Britons  in  vain  implored  the 
assistance  of  the  Romans,  in  an  epistle  to  ^Etius  the 
patrician,  which  was  inscribed  11  The  Groans  of  the 
Britons. 77  The  tenor  of  the  epistle  was  suitable  to 
the  superscription  : “ The  barbarians,77  say  they,  “ on 
the  one  hand  drive  us  into  the  sea,  the  sea,  on  the 
other,  throws  us  back  on  the  barbarians  3 and  we  have 
only  the  hard  choice  left  us  of  perishing  by  the  sword 
or  by*  the  waves.77  The  Romans,  however,  at  this 
time  pressed  by  Attila,  the  most  terrible  enemy^that 
ever  assailed  the  empire,  were  unable  to  attend  to  the 
complaints  of  their  allies.  The  Britons,  reduced  to 
despair,  and  attending  only  to  the  suggestions  of  their 
own  fears,  and  to  the  counsels  of  Vortigern,  the  pow- 
erful prince  of  Dumnonium,  rashly  invited  the  protec- 
tion of  the  Saxons. 

The  Saions  had  been  for  some  time  regarded  as  one 


fp 


THE  SAXONS. 


11 


4.Q-.  of  the  most  warlike  tribes  of  Germany,  and  had 
* become  the  terror  of  the  neighbouring  nations. 
They  had  spread  themselves  from  the  northern  parts 
of  Germany,  and  had  taken  possession  of  all  the  sea- 
coast  from  the  mouth  of  the  Rhine  to  Jutland.  Hen- 
gist  and  Horsa,  two  brothers,  who  were  the  reputed  de- 
scendants of  the  god  Woden,  commanded  the  Saxons 
at  this  period.  These  leaders  easily  persuaded  their 
countrymen  to  accept  of  the  invitation  of  the  Britons, 
and  to  embrace  an  enterprise  in  which  they  might 
display  their  valour  and  gratify  their  desire  of  plunder. 
They  embarked  their  troops  in  three  vessels,  and 
transported  to  the  shores  of  Britain  sixteen  hundred 
men,  who  landed  in  the  isle  of  Thanet,  and  attacked 
with  confidence  and  success  the  northern  invaders. 

Hengist  and  Horsa,  perceiving,  from  their  easy  vic- 
tory over  the  Scots  and  Piets,  with  what  facility  they 
might  subdue  the  Britons  themselves,  determined  to 
fight  and  conquer  for  their  own  grandeur,  and  not  for 
the  defence  of  their  allies.  They  sent  intelligence 
to  Saxony  of  the  riches  and  fertility  of  Britain  ; and 
their  representations  procured  for  them  a reinforce- 
ment of  five  thousand  men.  The  Saxons  formed  an 
alliance  with  the  Piets  and  Scots,  whom  they  had 
been  invited  to  resist,  and  proceeded  to  open  hostility 
against  the  Britons,  whom  they  had  engaged  to  pro- 
tect. 

The  Britons,  roused  to  indignation  against  their 
treacherous  allies,  took  up  arms  ; and  having  deposed 
Vortigern,  who  had  become  odious  for  his  vices,  and 
for  the  bad  success  of  his  counsels,  they  put  them 
selves  under  the  command  of  his  son  Vortimer.  They 
ventured  to  meet  their  perfidious  enemies,  and  though 
generally  defeated,  one  battle  was  distinguished  by 
the  death  of  Horsa,  who  left  thfe  sole  command  In  the 
hands  of  his  brother  Hengist.  This  active  general, 
reinforced  by  his  countrymen,  still  advanced  to  victo- 
ry ) and  being  chiefly  anxious  to  spread  the  terror  of 
h;s  arms,  he  spared  neither  age,  sex,  nor  condition 
Great  numbers  of  Britons,  to  avoid  his  cruelty  or  ava- 
rice, deserted  their  native  country,  and  passed  over 
to  the  continent,  where,  in  the  province  of  Armorica, 
they  were  received  by  a people  of  the  same  language 
and  manners,  and  gave  to  the  country  the  name  of 
Brittany. 


12  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

The  British  writers  say,  that  the  love  of  Vortigern 
for  Rowena,  the  daughter  of  Hengist,  was  one  cause 
that  facilitated  the  entrance  of  the  Saxons  into  this 
island,  and  that  Vortigern,  who  had  been  restored  to 
the  throne,  accepted  of  a banquet  from  Hengist  at 
Stonehenge,  where  three  hundred  of  his  nobility  were 
treacherously  slaughtered ; and  himself  detained  a 
captive.  But  these  accounts  are  not  sufficiently  cor- 
roborated. 

After  the  death  of  Vortimer,  Ambrosius  was  invest- 
ed with  the  supreme  command  over  the  Britons,  and 
united  them  in  their  resistance  to  the  Saxons.  Hen- 
gist, however,  maintained  his  ground  in  Britain.  He 
invited  into  this  island  another  tribe  of  Saxons,  under 
the  command  of  his  brother  Octa,  and  of  Ebissa,  the 
son  of  Octa,  whom  he  settled  in  Northumberland  3 
and  he  founded  the  kingdom  of  Kent,  comprehending 
Kent,  Middlesex,  Essex,  and  part  of  Surry,  which  he 
bequeathed  to  his  posterity. 

The  success  of  Hengist  allured  new  swarms  from 
the  northern  coasts  of  Germany.  The  southern  Brit-  • 
ons  gradually  receded  before  the  invaders  into  Corn- 
wall and  Wales ; and  iElla,  a Saxon  chief,  founded 
the  kingdom  of  South  Saxony,  comprising  Sussex  and 
that  portion  of  Surry  which  Hengist  had  not  occu- 
pied. 

The  kingdom  of  the  West  Saxons,  or  of  Wessex, 
was  founded  by  Cerdic,  and  hjs  son  Kenric,  in  Hamp- 
shire, Dorsetshire,  Wiltshire,  Berkshire,  and  the  Isle 
of  Wight;  but  it  was  not  till  after  many  a bloody  con- 
flict, that  these  adventurers  enjoyed  in  peace  the  har- 
vest of  their  toils.  They  were  opposed  by  Arthur, 
prince  of  the  Silures,  whose  heroic  valour  suspended 
the  declining  fate  of  his  country,  and  whose  name  has 
been  celebrated  by  T'aliesin  and  the  other  British 
bards.  The  military  achievements  of  this  prince  have 
been  blended  with  fiction  ; but  it  appears  from  incon 
testible  evidence,  that  both  in  personal  and  mental 
powers,  he  excelled  the  generality  of  mankind. 

Whilst  the  Saxons  thus  established  themselves  in 
the  south,  great  numbers  of  their  countrymen,  under 
several  leaders,  landed  on  the  east  coast  of  Britain,  la 
the  year  575,  Uffa  assumed  the  title  of  king  ol  the 
East  Angles ; in  585,  Crida,  that  of  Mercia ; and 


THE  HEPTARCHY.  13 

about  the  same  time,  Erkenwint,  that  of  the  East  Sax- 
ons. This  latter  kingdom  was  dismembered  from  that 
of  Kent,  and  comprehended  Essex,  Middlesex  , and 
part  of  Hertfordshire  3 that  of  the  East  Angles,  Cam- 
bridgeshire, Suffolk,  and  Norfolk  3 Mercia  was  extend- 
ed over  all  the  middle  counties,  from  the  banks  of  the 
Severn  to  the  frontiers  of  those  two  kingdoms. 

Though  the  Saxons  had  been  settled  in  Northum- 
berland soon  after  the  landing  of  Hengist,  yet  they 
met  with  so  much  opposition  from  the  inhabitants,  that 
none  of  their  princes  for  a long  time  assumed  the  ap- 
pellation of  king.  In  547,  Ida,  a Saxon  prince,  who 
boasted  his  descent  from  Woden,  and  who  had  brought 
other  reinforcements  from  Germany,  subdued  all  Nor- 
thumberland, the  bishopric  of  Durham,  and  some  of 
the  south-east  counties  of  Scotland.  About  the  same 
time,  iElla,  another  Saxon  prince,  having  conquered 
Lancashire,  and  the  greater  part  of  Yorkshire,  receiv- 
ed the  appellation  of  king  of  Deira.  These  two  king- 
doms were  united  in  the  person  of  Ethelfrid,  grandson 
of  Ida,  who  married  Acca,  the  daughter  of  ./Ella  5 and 
expelling  his  brother-in-law  Edwin,  he  assumed  the 
title  of  king  of  Northumberland. 

Thus  was  established,  after  a violent  contest  of 
nearly  a hundred  and  fifty  years,  the  Heptarchy,  or 
seven  Saxon  kingdoms,  in  Britain  3 under  which  the 
whole  southern  part  of  the  island,  except  Wales  and 
Cornwall,  in  a great  measure  mixed  its  inhabitants, 
and  changed  its  language,  customs,  and  political  insti- 
tutions. The  Britons,  under  the  Roman  dominion 
had  made  such  progress  in  the  arts  and  civilization, 
that  they  had  built  twenty-eight  considerable  cities  : 
besides  a great  number  of  villages  and  country-seats  3 
but  the  Saxons,  by  whom  they  were  subdued,  restored 
the  ancient  barbarity,  and  reduced  to  the  most  abject 
slavery  those  few  natives  who  were  not  either  massa- 
cred, or  expelled  their  habitations. 

After  the  Britons  were  confined  to  Cornwall  and 
Wales,  and  no  longer  disturbed  the  conquerors,  the 
alliance  between  the  princes  of  the  Heptarchy  was  in 
a great  measure  dissolved.  Dissentions,  wars,  and 
revolutions  among  themselves,  were  the  natural  con 
sequence.  At  length,  nearly  four  hundred  years  afte 
the  first  arrival  of  the  Saxons  in  Britain,  all  the  King 


u 


HISTORY  OE  ENGLAND. 


doms  of  the  Heptarchy  were  united  in  one  great  state, 
g<27-i  under  Egbert,  whose  prudence  and  policy  effect- 
-*  ed  what  had  been  often  in  vain  attempted.  His 
territories  were  nearly  of  the  same  extent  with  what 
is  now  properly  called  England ; and  prospects  of 
peace,  security,  and  increasing  refinement,  were  thus 
afforded. 

The  Saxons  at  this  period  seem  not  to  have  much 
excelled  their  German  ancestors  in  arts,  civiliza- 
tion, humanity,  justice,  or  obedience  to  the  laws. 
Christianity  had  not  hitherto  banished  their  ignorance, 
por  softened  the  ferocity  of  their  manners  5 credulity 
and  superstition  had  accompanied  the  doctrines  re- 
ceived through  the  corrupted  channels  of  Rome  3 and 
the  reverence  towards  saints  and  reliques  seems  al- 
most to  have  supplanted  the  adoration  of  the  Supreme 
Being.  Monastic  observances  were  esteemed  more 
meritorious  than  the  active  virtues  ; the  universal 
belief  in  miraculous  interpositions  superseded  the 
knowledge  of  natural  causes  3 and  bounty  to  the  church 
atoned  for  every  violence  against  society.  The  sacer- 
dotal habit  was  the  only  object  of  respect.  Hence  the 
nobility  preferred  the  security  and  sloth  of  the  clois- 
ter to  the  tumult  and  glory  of  war,  and  endowed  mon- 
asteries of  which  they  assumed  the  government. 
Hence  also  the  kings,  impoverished  by  continual  bene- 
factions to  the  church,  were  neither  able  to  bestow 
rewards  on  valour  or  military  services,  nor  retained 
sufficient  influence  to  support  their  government. 

Another  inconvenience  which  attended  this. corrupt 
specfes  of  Christianity,  was  the  superstitious  attach- 
ment to  Rome.  The  Saxons  were  taught  by  the  monks 
a profound  reverence  for  the  holy  see  ; and  kings,  ab- 
dicating their  crowns,  sought  a secure  passport  to 
heaven  at  the  feet  of  the  Roman  Pontiff.  The  suc- 
cessors of  St.  Peter,  encouraged  by  the  blindness  and 
submissive  disposition  of  the  people,  advanced  every 
day  in  their  encroachments  on  the  independence  of 
the  English  church.  In  the  eighth  century,  Wilfrid, 
bishop  of  Lindisferne,  the  sole  prelate  of  the  Nor- 
thumbrian kingdom,  increased  this  subjection  by  an 
appeal  to  Rome  against  the  decisions  of  an  Eng- 
glish  synod.  Wilfrid  thus  laid  the  foundation  of  the 
papal  pretensions,  which  we  shall  find  in  the  sequel 


EGBERT. — ETHELWOLF.  15 

were  carried  to  the  most  disgraceful  heights,  and  sub- 
mitted to  with  a patience  almost  incredible. 


CHAPTER  II. 

From  the  Uni  on  of  the  kingdoms  of  the  Heptarchy 
under  ]}gbert,  to  the  Norman  Conquest. 

The  kingdoms  of  the  Heptarchy  appeared  to  be 
Qo-y-i  firmly  united  in  one  state  under  Egbert ; and 
this  union  promised  future  tranquillity  to  the 
inhabitants  of  Britain.  But  these  flattering  hopes  were 
soon  overcast  by  the  appearance  of  the  Danes.  The 
emperor  Charlemagne  had  been  induced  to  exercise 
great  severities  in  Germany  ; and  the  more  warlike 
of  the  natives,  to  escape  the  fury  of  his  persecutions, 
nad  retired  into  Jutland.  From  that  northern  extremi- 
ty they  invaded  France,  which  was  exposed  by  tho 
dissentions  of  the  posterity  of  Charlemagne.  Desig- 
nated by  the  general  name  of  Normans,  which  they 
received  from  their  northern  situation,  they  became 
a terror  to  the  maritime,  and  even  to  the  inland 
countries.  In  their  predatory  excursions  they  were 
tempted  to  visit  England,  and  in  their  hostilities  made 
7P71  no  distinction  between  the  French  and  English. 

■*  nations.  After  an  unsuccessful  attempt  on  Nor- 
thumberland, they  landed  on  the  Isle  of  Shepey, 
which  they  plundered  with  impunity.  The  next  year 
they  diser  barked  in  Dorsetshire  from  thirty -five ‘ships, 
and  were  encountered  by  Egbert  at  Charmouth,  where 
the  Danes  were  defeated  with  great  log's.  They  after- 
wards entered  into  an  alliance  with  the  P tons  of 
Cornwall,  and,  in  conjunction  with  the  allies,  made 
an  inroad  into  Devonshire,  whe  they  were  met  at 
Hingesd^ wn  by  Egbert,  and  or  .-thrown  with  consid- 
erable slaughter.  The  up-'  i of  Egbert,  whose  pru- 
dence and  valour  had  r^v  „ered  him  a terror  to  his 
enemies,  revived  the  v pes  of  the  Danes,  and  prompt- 
ed them  to  new  efl*  s. 

Ethel  wolf,  the  so.i  and  successor  of  Egbert,  possess- 
8381  e<^  nei-fier  abilities  nor  tho  bravery  of  his 
-*  father  5 he  was  better  qualified  for  a cloister 


16 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


than  a throne.  He  commenced  his  reign  with  resign- 
ing to  his  eldest  son,  Athelstan,  the  provinces  of  Es- 
sex, Kent,  and  Sussex.  The  domestic  dissention 
which  this  partition  was  calculated  to  occasion  was 
prevented  by  the  terror  excited  by  the  Danes,  whose 
inroads  were  felt  through  Hampshire,  Suffolk,  Norfolk, 
and  Kent.  In  their  course  they  carried  off  the  goods, 
the  cattle,  and  even  the  wretched  inhabitants  ; and 
then  retiring  to  their  vessels,  they  set  sail  to  some 
distant  quarter  wrhich  was  not  prepared  for  their  re- 
ception. Though  often  repulsed,  and  sometimes  de- 
feated, yet  they  could  not  be  expelled.  They  estab- 
lished themselves  in  the  isles  of  Thanet  and  Shepey, 
whence  they  constantly  harassed  and  ravaged  the  ad- 
jacent coasts. 

The  unsettled  state  of  England  did  not  prevent  Eth- 
elwolf  from  making  a pilgrimage  to  Rome,  whither  he 
carried  his  fourth  and  favourite  son,  Alfred,  then  only 
six  years  of  age  He  passed  a twelvemonth  at  Rome 
in  exercises  of  devotion,  and  failed  not  in  liberality  to 
the  church.  In  his  return  home,  he  married  Judith, 
the  daughter  of  the  emperor  Charles  the  Bald  ; but  on 
his  landing  in  England,  he  met  with  an  opposition 
which  he  little  expected.  Athelstan,  his  eldest  son, 
had  paid  the  debt  of  nature;  Ethelbald,  his  second, 
who  had  assumed  the  government,  formed  the  project 
of  excluding  his  father  from  a throne,  for  which  his 
weakness  and  superstition  little  qualified  him.  Eth- 
elwolf  yielded  in  a great  measure  to  the  pretensions 
of  his  son:  he  retained  the  eastern,  which  were  the 
least  considerable,  and  ceded  to  Ethelbald  the  sove- 
reignty of  the  western  districts  of  the  kingdom.  Im- 
mediately after,  he  summoned  the  states  of  the  whole 
kingdom,  and,  with  the  same  facility  of  disposition, 
not  only  granted  to  the  priesthood  a perpetual  right  to 
tithes,  but  exempted  it  from  all  imposts  and  burdens. 

Ethelwolf  lived  only  two  years  after  conferring  this 
important  grant  to  the  church.  By  his  will  he 
-*  divided  England  between  his  two  eldest  sons, 
Ethelbald  and  Ethelbert;  the  west  being  assigned  to 
the  former,  and  the  east  to  the  latter.  Ethelbald  was 
a profligate  prince,  who  married  Judith,  his  mother-in- 
law,  and  whose  reign  was  short.  His  death  united  the 
whole  government  in  the  hands  of  Ethelbert,  who 


ALFRED. 


17 


during  five  years,  reigned  with  justice  and  prudence, 
and  bequeathed  the  sceptre  to  his  brother  Ethered. 

Though  Ethered  defended  himself  with  great  brave- 
8fH  during  the  whole  of  his  reign,  he  enjoy- 

ed  no  tranquillity  from  the  Danes,  who  landed 
in  East  Anglia,  penetrated  into  the  kingdom  of  North- 
umberland, and  seized  the  city  of  York.  Alfred,  his 
younger  brother,  assisted  Ethered  in  all  his  enterpris- 
es against  the  enemy.  The  Danes  were  attacked  by 
the  forces  under  Ethered  and  Alfred  3 and  being  de- 
feated in  an  action,  they  sought  shelter  within  the 
walls  of  Reading.  Thence  they  infested  the  neigh- 
bouring country.  An  action  soon  after  ensued  at  As- 
ton, in  Berkshire,  where  the  English,  through  the 
good  conduct  of  Alfred,  obtained  a victory.  Another 
battle  was  fought  at  Basing,  where  the  Danes  were 
more  successful.  Amidst  these  disorders,  Ethered 
died  of  a wound  which  he  had  received,  and  transfer- 
red his  kingdom  and  the  care  of  its  defence  to  the  illus- 
trious Alfred,  who  was  then  twenty-two  years  of  age. 

Alfred  gave  early  proof  of  his  abilities,  by  which,  in 
the  most  difficult  times,  he  saved  his  country 
‘ -*  from  ruin.  Pope  Leo  the  Third  predicted  his 
future  greatness,  by  giving  him  the  royal  ;unction, 
when  Alfred  was  on  a visit  to  the  Roman  pontiff.  Be- 
ing indulged  in  youthful  pleasures,  his  education  was 
much  neglected  3 but  the  recital  of  some  Saxon  po- 
ems awakened  his  native  genius  3 and  he  applied  him- 
self with  diligence  and  success  to  the  study  of  the 
Latin  tongue.  From  these  elegant  pursuits,  however, 
he  was  early  recalled  by  the  danger  of  his  country. 
Scarcely  had  he  buried  his  brother,  when  he  was 
obliged  to  take  the  field,  in  order  to  oppose  the  Danes, 
who  had  seized  Wilton,*  and  were  ravaging  the  sur- 
rounding country.  He  gave  them  battle,  and  was  at 
first  successful  3 but  pursuing  his  advantage  too  eager- 
ly, he  was  oppressed  by  the  superiority  of  numbers, 
and  obliged  to  relinquish  the  field.  Alfred,  however, 
was  still  formidable  3 and  though  he  was  supported 
only  by  the  West  Saxons,  he  obliged  his  enemies  to 
conclude  a treaty,  in  which  they  solemnly  swore  to 
evacuate  his  territories.  The  oath  was  taken  and  vio- 


* The  real  situation  of  Wilton  has  been  much  disputed. 
VOL.  I.  2 


18 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


lated  with  equal  facility  j and  the  Danes,  without  seek 
ing  any  pretence,  attacked  Alfred’s  army,  which  they 
routed,  and,  marching  westward,  took  possession  of 
Exeter.  Alfred  collected  new  forces,  and  exerted 
such  vigour,  that  he  fought  eight  battles  in  one  year 
and  obliged  the  enemy  to  engage  that  they  would  set 
tie  in  some  part  of  Ergland,  and  not  suffer  more  op 
their  countrymen  to  enter  the  kingdom.  Whilst  Al- 
fred expected  the  execution  of  this  treaty,  another  bo- 
dy of  Danes  landed  in  this  island  ; and  collecting  all  the 
scattered  troops  of  their  countrymen,  they  seized  Chip- 
penham, and  extended  their  ravages  over  Wiltshire. 

This  last  event  broke  the  spirits  of  the  Saxons,  and 
reduced  them  to  despair.  They  believed  themselves 
abandoned  by  Heaven  to  destruction.  Some  left  their 
country,  and  retired  into  Wales,  or  fled  beyond  the 
sea;  others  submitted  to  the  conquerors,  in  hopes. of 
appeasing  their  fury  by  a servile  obedience  ; and  Al- 
fred was  obliged  to  relinquish  the  ensigns  of  royalty 
and  to  seek  shelter  in  the  meanest  disguises,  from  the 
pursuit  of  his  enemies.  He  concealed  himself  under 
the  habit  of  a peasant,  and  for  some  time  lived  in  the 
house  of  a neatherd,  who  had  formerly  been  entrust- 
ed with  the  care  of  his  cows.  In  this  humiliating  sit- 
uation, it  is  said  that  the  wife  of  the  neatherd,  igno- 
rant of  the  condition  of  her  royal  guest,  and  observing 
him  one  day  busy  by  the  fire-side,  in  trimming  his 
bow  and  arrows,  desired  him  to  take  care  of  some 
cakes  which  were  toasting,  while  she  was  employed 
in  other  domestic  concerns.  However,  Alfred,  whose 
thoughts  were  differently  engaged,  forgot  the  trust; 
and  the  good  roman,  on  her  return,  finding  her  cakes 
burnt,  rated  the  king  ve.ry  severely,  and  upbraided  him 
with  neglecting  what  he  was  ready  enough  to  eat. 

Alfred,  finding  that  success  had  rendered  his  ene 
mies  more  remiss,  collected  some  of  his  retainers.  In 
the  centre  of  a bog,  formed  by  the  stagnated  waters 
of  the  Thone  and  Parret,  in  Somersetshire,  he  found 
two  acres  of  firm  ground,  where  he  built  an  habita- 
tion, which  he  rendered  secure  by  fortifications,  and 
still  more  by  the  unknown  "and  inaccessible  roads  that 
led  to  it.  This  place  he  called  ^Ethelingay,  or  the 
Isle  of  Nobles  ; and  thence  he  made  frequent  and  un- 
expected sallies  on  the  Danes,  who  often  felt  the  vig- 


AL 


19 


our  of  liis  arm,  but  kne  w not  from  what  quarter  the 
dIow  came.  In  this  insulated  place  he  was  informed 
that  Oddune,  earl  of  Devonshire,  had  routed  and  kill- 
ed Hubba  the  Dane,  who  had  besieged  him  in  his  cas- 
tle of  Kinwith,  near  the  mouth  of  the  river  Tau  3 ana 
that  he  had  got  possession  of  the  enchanted  standard, 
or  reafen,  so  called  from  containing  the  figure  of  a 
raven,  which  the  Danes  believed  to  have  been  inter- 
woven by  the  three  sisters  of  Hinguar  and  tlubba, 
with  magical  incantations,  and  to  express  by  the  mo- 
tions of  its  wings  the  success  or  failure  of  any  enter- 
prise. 

When  Alfred  was  informed  of  this  successful  re- 
sistance, he  left  his  retreat 5 but  before  he  would  as- 
semble his  subjects  in  arms,  he  resolved  to  inspect  the 
situation  of  the  enemy.  Under  the  disguise  of  a 
harpgr,  he  entered  their  camp  3 his  music  obtained 
for  him  a welcome  reception,  and  introduced  him  into 
the  tent  of  their  prince  Guthrum  3 and  he  was  wit- 
ness during  several  days  to  the  supine  security  of  the 
Danes,  and  their  contempt  of  the  English.  Encour- 
aged by  what  he  observed,  he  sent  private  emissaries 
to  the  most  considerable  of  his  friends,  and  summon- 
ed them  to  meet  him  with  their  followers  at  Brixton 
on  the  borders  of  Selwood  Forest.  The  English  hav- 
ing experienced  that  submission  o \y  increased  the 
insolence  ^nd  rapacity  of  their  conquerors,  repaired 
to  the  place  of  rendezvous  with  alacrity,  and  received 
with  shouts  of  transport  a monarch  whom  they  had 
fondly  loved,  and  whom  they  had  long  concluded  to 
have  been  dead.  Alfred  immediately  led  them  against 
the  Danes,  who,  surprised  to  see  an  army  of  English, 
fled  after  a faint  resistance,  and  suffered  greatly  in  the 
pursuit : the  remnant  that  escaped,  were  besieged  by 
the  victors  in  a fortified  camp  3 and  being  reduced  to 
extremity  by  hunger,  they  implored  the  clemency  of 
Alfred,  whose  prudence  converted  them  from  mortal 
enemies  into  faithful  friends  and  confederates.  He 
proposed  to  Guthrum  and  his  followers  to  re-people 
the  desolated  parts  of  East  Anglia  and  Northumber- 
land 3 but  he  required  from  them  as  a pledge  of  their 
future  sincerity,  that  they  should  embrace  Christiani- 
ty. The  Danes  complied  3 and  Guthrum  received,  aa 
the  ad<  uted  son  of  Alfred,  the  name  of  Athelstan. 


20 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


The  success  of  this  expedient  seemed  to  corre9 
pond  with  Alfred’s  hopes  : the  greater  part  of  the 
Danes  settled  peaceably  in  their  new  quarters  ; the 
more  turbulent  procured  subsistence  by  ravaging  tha 
coasts  of  France  ; and  England  enjoyed  for  some  years 
a state  of  tranquillity.  Alfred  employed  this  period 
in  establishing  civil  and  military  institutions,  and  in 
providing  for  the  future  defence  of  the  island.  He 
repaired  the  ruined  cities  ; built  castles  and  fortres- 
ses ; and  established  a regular  militia.  Sensible  that 
the  best  means  of  defending  an  island  is  by  a navy, 
he  increased  the  shipping  of  his  kingdom  both  in 
number  and  strength,  and  trained  his  subjects  to  mar- 
itime conflicts.  He  stationed  his  vessels  with  such 
judgment  as  continually  to  intercept  the  Danish  ships 
either  before  or  after  they  had  landed  their  troops  ; 
and  by  this  means  he  repelled  several  inroads  of  the 
Danes. 

At  length  Hastings,  the  celebrated  Danish  chief, 
having  ravaged  all  the  provinces  of  France,  along  the 
Loire  and  the  Seine,  appeared  off  the  coast  of  Kent 
with  three  hundred  and  thirty  sail  ; where  the  greater 
yart  of  the  Danes  disembarked,  and  seized  the  fort  of 
Apuldore.  Hastings  himself,  with  a fleet  of  eighty 
sail,  entered  the  Thames,  and  fortifying  Milton  in 
Kent,  spread  his  forces  oyer  the  country,  and  com- 
mitted the  most  dreadful  ravages.  Alfred,  yi  the  first 
alarm  of  this  descent,  hastened  with  a chosen  band 
to  the  defence  of  his  people } and  collecting  all  the 
armed  militia,  he  appeared  in  the  field  with  a force 
superior  to  that  of  the  enemy.  The  invaders,  instead 
of  increasing  their  spoil,  were  obliged  to  seek  refuge 
within  their  fortifications.  Tired  of  this  situation, 
the  Danes  at  Apuldore  suddenly  left  their  encamp- 
ment, and  attempted  to  march  towards  the  Thames, 
and  to  penetrate  into  the  heart  of  the  kingdom  ; but 
Alfred,  whose  vigilance  they  could  not  escape,  en- 
countered and  defeated  them  at  Farnham.  They  fled 
to  their  ships,  and  escaped  to  Mersey  in  Essex,  where 
they  erected  new  works  for  their  protection.  Has- 
tings attempted  a similar  movement  at  the  same  time, 
and  with  the  same  success  : after  leaving  Milton,  he 
was  glad  to  find  refuge  at  Bamflete,  near  the  isle  of 
Canvey,  where  he  threw  up  fortifications  for  his  de- 
fence. 


ALFRED. 


21 


From  these  invaders  the  attention  of  Alfred  was 
soon  distracted  by  another  enemy.  Guthrum  was 
now  dead  ; and  his  followers,  encouraged  by  the  ap- 
pearance of  so  great  a body  of  their  countrymen,  re- 
volted against  the  authority  of  Alfred.  They  embark- 
ed on  board  of  two  hundred  and  forty  vessels,  and 
appeared  before  Exeter,  in  the  west  of  England.  Al- 
fred immediately  marched  to  the  west,  and  suddenly 
attacking  them,  defeated  them,  and  pursued  them  to 
their  ships  with  great  slaughter.  In  another  attempt 
on  the  coast  of  Sussex,  they  were  again  repulsed,  and 
some  of  their  ships  taken.  Discouraged  by  these  dif- 
ficulties, they  embarked,  and  returned  to  tneir  settle- 
ments in  Northumberland. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Danes  in  Essex,  having  quit- 
ted their  retreat,  and  united  their  forces  under  the 
command  of  Hastings,  ravaged  the  inland  country. 
The  English  army  left  in  London  attacked  the  Dan- 
ish intrenchments  at  Bamflete,  over  powered  the  garri- 
on,  and  carried  off’  the  wife  and  two  sons  of  Hastings. 
Alfred  restored  the  captives  to  the  Danish  chief,  on 
'ondition  that  he  should  quit  the  kingdom,  to  which 
ne  readily  assented. 

However,  many  of  the  Danes  refused  to  follow 
Hastings.  Great  numbers  of  them  seized  and  fortified 
Shobury,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Thames  ; and  leaving  a 
garrison  tbpre,  they  marched  to  Boddington,  in  the 
county  of  Gloucester,  where  they  were  reinforced  by 
the  Welsh,  and  erected  fortifications  for  their  protec- 
tion. Alfred  surrounded  them  with  his  whole  force. 
After  having  endured  the  extremities  of  famine,  they 
attacked  the  English,  and  a small  number  of  them 
effected  their  escape  ; but  most  of  them  being  taken, 
they  were  tried  at  Winchester,  and  hanged  as  public 
robbers. 

This  well-timed  severity  restored  tranquillity  tc 
England,  and  produced  security  to  the  government. 
Not  only  the  East-Anglian  and  Northumberland  Danes, 
but  the  Welsh,  acknowledged  the  authority  of  Alfred. 
By  prudence,  by  justice,  and  by  valour,  he  had  now 
established  his  sovereignty  over  all  the  southern  parts 
of  the  island,  from  the  English  channel  to  the  fron 
tiers  of  Scotland ; when,  in  the  vigour  of  his  age,  and 
in  the  full  possession  of  his  faculties,  he  expired  af 


22 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


ter  a glorious  reign  of  twenty-nine  years  and  a half, 
in  which  he  had  deservedly  attained  the  appellation 
of  Great,  and  the  title  of  founder  of  the  English 
monarchy. 

The  character  of  Alfred,  both  in  private  and  public 
life,  is  almost  unrivalled  in  the  annals  of  any  age  or 
nation.  His  virtues  were  so  happily  tempered  to- 
gether, and  so  justly  blended,  that  each  prevented  the 
other  from  exceeding  its  proper  boundaries.  He  re- 
conciled the  most  enterprising  spirit  with  the  greatest 
moderation ; the  most  severe  justice  with  the  gentlest 
lenity  ; the  highest  capacity  and  inclination  for  sci- 
ence, with  the  most  shining  talents  for  action.  His 
cwil  and  his  military  virtues  are  almost  equally  the 
objects  of  our  admiration  ; and  nature,  also,  as  if  so 
bright  a production  of  her  skill  should  be  set  in  the 
fairest  light,  had  bestowed  on  him  every  personal 
grace  and  accomplishment. 

The  martial  exploits  of  Alfred  afford  only  an  imper- 
fect idea  of  his  merit.  His  civil  institutions,  many  of 
which  still  exist,  and  his  encouragement  of  the  arts 
and  sciences,  form  the  most  prominent  features  of  his 
reign.  The  violence  and  rapacity  of  the  Danes  had 
subverted  all  order  throughout  England,  and  introduc- 
ed the  greatest  anarchy  and  confusion.  To  provide  a 
remedy  for  the  evils  which  their  licentiousness  nad 
occasioned,  and  to  render  the  execution  of  justice 
strict  and  regular,  Alfred  divided  the  kingdom  into 
counties ; these  he  subdivided  into  hundreds,  and  the 
hundreds  into  tithings.  Ten  householders  formed  a 
tithing,  who  were  answerable  for  each  other’s  conduct, 
and  over  whom  a headborough  or  borsholder  was  ap- 
pointed to  preside.  Every  man  was  obliged  to  regis- 
ter himself  in  some  tithing;  and  none  could  chango 
his  habitation  without  a certificate  from  the  headbor- 
o’ugh  of  the  tithing  to  which  he  belonged. 

When  any  person  had  been  guilty  of  a crime,  the 
headborough  was  summoned  to  answer  for  him;  and 
if  the  headborough  was  unwilling  to  be  surety  for  his 
appearance,  the  criminal  was  committed  to  prison  till 
his  trial.  If  the  criminal  fled,  either  before  or  after 
finding  sureties,  the  headborough  and  tithing  were 
exposed  to  the  penalties  of  the  law.  Thirty-one  days 
were  allowed  them  for  producing  the  criminal.  If  th* 


ALFRED. 


25  . 

^lapsed  before  they  could  find  him,  the  hendbor  - 
and  two  other  members  of  the  tithing  were  obli 
a appear,  and  together  with  three  chief  mem 
bers  of  three  neighbouring  tithings,  consisting  of 
twelve  in  all,  swear  that  the  tithing  was  free  from  all 
privity  both  of  the  crime  and  of  the  escape  of  the  crim- 
inal. If  the  headborough  could  not  produce  such  a 
number  of  witnesses  to  their  innocence,  the  tithing 
was  ccmpelled  to  pay  a fine  to  the  king.  This  insti- 
tution obliged  every  man  carefully  to  observe  the  con- 
duct of  his  neighbours,  and  was  a kind  of  surety  for 
their  behaviour. 

In  the  administration  of  justice,  the  headborough 
summoned  his  tithing  to  assist  him  in  deciding  any 
trivia)  difference  which  occurred  among  the  members 
In  affairs  of  greater  moment, .or  in  controversies  be- 
tween members  of  different  tithings,  the  cause  was 
brought  before  the  hundred,  which  consisted  of  ten 
tithings,  or  one  hundred  families,  and  which  was  regu- 
larly assembled  once  in  four  weeks.  In  their  method 
of  decision  we  trace  the  origin  of  juries.  Twelve 
freeholders  were  chosen,  who,  together  with  the  pre- 
siding magistrate  of  that  division,  were  sworn  to  ad- 
minister impartial  justice  in  the  cause  submitted  to 
their  jurisdiction. 

The  county  court,  which  met  twice  a year,  and  con- 
sisted of  the  freeholders  of  the  county,  was  superior 
to  that  of  the  hundred,  from  which  it  received  appeals, 
The  bishop  with  the  aldermen  presided  in  it.  The 
latter  originally  possessed  both  the  civil  and  military 
authority  3 but  Alfred,  sensible  that  this  conjunction 
of  power  might  render  the  nobility  dangerous,  appoint- 
ed a sheriff  in  each  county,  who  was  equal  with  the 
aldermen  in  his  judicial  function,  and  whose  office 
also  consisted  in  guarding  the  rights  of  the  crown, 
from  violation,  and  in  levying  the  fines.  In  default 
of  justice  in  these  courts,  an  appeal  lay  to  the  king  in 
council  5 but  finding  that  his  time  would  be  entirely 
engrossed  in  hearing  these  appeals,  Alfred  took  care 
to  correct  the  ignorance  or  corruption  of  inferior 
magistrates,  and  to  instruct  his  nobility  in  letters  and 
laws.  To  guide  them  in  the  administration  of  justice, 
he  framed  a code  of  laws,  which,  though  now  lost, 
Ions  served  as  the  basis  of  English  jurisprudence,  and 


24 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


is  generally  deemed  the  origin  of  what  is  now  denom 
inated  the  common  law. 

To  encourage  learning  among  his  subjects  was  no 
ess  the  care  of  thi3  illustrious  prince.  When  he 
came  to  the  throne,  he  found  the  English  sunk  into 
the  grossest  ignorance.  Alfred  himself  complains 
that  on  his  accession  he  did  not  know  one  person 
south  of  the  Thames,  who  could  so  much  as  interpret 
the  Latin  service  ; and  very  few  even  in  the  northern 
parts  who  had  reached  that  pitch  of  erudition.  To 
supply  this  defect,  he  invited  the  most  celebrated 
scholars  from  all  parts  of  Europe  ; he  established 
schools;  and  he  founded,  or  at  least  revived,  the  uni- 
versity of  Oxford,  which  he  endowed  with  various 
privileges,  revenues,  and  immunities.  He  enjoined 
by  law,  all  freeholders  possessed  of  two  hides,  or  about 
two  hundred  acres  of  land,  to  send  their  children  to 
school  for  instruction  ; and  he  gave  preferment,  both 
in  church  and  state,  to  such  only  as  had  made  some 
proficiency  in  knowledge. 

However,  the  most  effectual  expedient  employed  by 
Alfred  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  was  his  own 
example.  He  usually  divided  his  time  into  three 
equal  portions:  one  was  employed  in  exercise  and  the 
refection  of  his  body  ; another,  in  the  despatch  of 
business;  and  a third,  in  study  and  devotion.  Sensible 
that  the  people  were  incapable  of  speculative  instruc- 
tion, he  conveyed  his  morality  by  apologues,  parables, 
stories,  and  apothegms,  couched  in  poetry.  He  trans- 
lated the  Fables  of  ^Esop,  the  Histories  ofOrosius  and 
Bede,  and  Boethius  on  the  consolation  of  philosophy  ; 
nor  did  he  deem  it  derogatory  from  his  high  character 
of  sovereign,  legislator,  warrior,  and  politician,  thus 
to  lead  the  way  in  literary  pursuits. 

The  prince  was  also  an  encouragerof  the  mechanical 
arts.  He  invited  industrious  foreigners  to  repeople 
nis  country,  which  had  been  desolated  by  the  ravages 
of  the  Danes.  He  introduced  and  encouraged  manu- 
factures ; he  prompted  men  of  activity  to  engage  in 
navigation  and  commerce  ; he  appropriated  a seventh 
part  of  his  own  revenue  to  rebuild  the  ruined  cities, 
castles,  palaces,  and  monasteries ; and  such  was  the 
impression  of  his  sagacity  and  virtue,  that  he  was  re- 
garded by  foreigners,  as  well  as  by  his  own  subjects 


EDWARD.— ATHELSTAN.— EDMUND.  25 

as  one  of  the  greatest  princes  that  had  appeared  on  the 
throne  of  the  world 

Of  the  two  surviving  sons  of  Alfred  by  his  wife 
AQjl  Ethelswitha,  the  daughter  of  a Mercian  earl, 
-*  Ethelwald  the  younger  inherited  his  father’s  pas- 
sion for  letters,  and  lived  a private  life;  but  Edward 
the  elder  succeeded  to  the  military  talents  as  well  as 
to  the  throne  of  Alfred.  Ethelwald,  the  cousin-ger- 
man of  Edward,  and  son  of  Ethelbert,  the  elder  broth- 
er of  Alfred,  insisted  on  a title  to  the  throne  preferable 
to  that  of  Edward.  Ethelwald,  however,  was  obliged 
to  flee  ; but  connecting  his  interests  with  those  of  the 
Danes,  he  obtained  the  assistance  of  those  freebooters, 
and  returned.  An  action  was  fought  near  Bury,  in 
which  the  Kentish  men  vigorously  opposed  the  Danes, 
who  lost  their  bravest  leaders,  and  among  the  rest 
Ethelwald  himself.  The  reign  of  Edward  was  an  in- 
cessant but  successful  struggle  against  the  Northum- 
brians, the  East-Angles,  and  the  Danes.  He  gained 
two  signal  victories  at  Telmsford  and  Maldon,  com- 
pelled the  Danes  to  retire  into  France,  and  obliged  the 
East-Angles  to  swear  allegiance  to  him.  After  a tur- 
bulent but  successful  reign  of  twenty-four  years,  his 
kingdom  devolved  on  Athelstan,  his  natural  son. 

The  mature  age  of  Athelstan  obtained  for  him  the 
9251  Pre^erence  over  legitimate  children  of  Ed- 
* ward;  and,  amidst  storms  of  civil  conflict  and 
foreign  war,  he  proved  himself  not  unworthy  of  it. 
He  crushed  Alfred,  a powerful  nobleman,  who  had 
conspired  against  him;  he  entered  Scotland  with  an 
army,  and  extorted  the  submission  of  Constantine  its 
king;  he  reduced  to  obedience  the  turbulent  Northum- 
brians ; and  he  defeated  with  considerable  slaughter 
the  Danes  and  Welsh.  Athelstan  was  regarded  as  an 
able  and  active  prince;  and  the  remarkable  law  which 
he  enacted,  that  a merchant,  who  had  made  three  long 
sea  voyages,  should  be  admitted  to  the  rank  of  thane 
or  gentleman,  is  a proof  of  great  liberality  of  mind. 
He  died  at  Gloucester,  after  a reign  of  sixteen  years, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Edmund,  his  legitimate  brother. 

The  reign  of  Edmund  was  short,  and  his  death  vio- 
lent.  He  chastised  the  Northumbrians,  who 
■*  seized  every  opportunity  of  rebelling ; and  he 
conquered  Cumberland  from  the  Britons,  and  confer 


26 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND 


red  it  on  Malcolm,  king  of  Scotland,  on  condition  that 
he  should  do  him  homage  for  it,  and  protect  the  north 
from  the  incursions  of  the  Danes.  He  perished  by 
the  hand  of  Leolf,  a notorious  robber,  whom  he  had 
sentenced  to  banishment,  and  who  presumed  to  enter 
the  royal  apartment.  The  king,  enraged  at  this  inso- 
lence, ordered  him  to  leave  the  room  ; and  on  his  re- 
fusing to  obey,  Edmund,  naturally  choleric,  seized 
him  by  the  hair,  when  the  ruffian  drew  a dagger,  and 
gave  him  a mortal  wound. 

Edred,  the  brother  and  successor  of  Edmund,  had 
no  sooner  ascended  the  throne,  than  he  found  it 
-*  necessary  to  oppose  the  incursions  of  the  North- 
umbrian Danes,  and  to  oblige  Malcolm,  king  of  Scot- 
land, to  renew  his  homage  for  the  lands  which  he  held 
in  England.  Edred,  though  not  destitute  of  courage, 
was  ail  abject  slave  to  superstition  ; and  he  abandon- 
ed his  conscience  to  Dunstan,  abbot  of  Glastonbury, 
who,  under  the  appearance  of  sanctity,  veiled  the  most 
violent  ambition. 

Dunstan  practised  the  most  rigid  austerity,  and  pre- 
tended to  have  frequent  conflicts  with  the  devil  5 in 
one  of  which  he  seized  the  devil  by  the  nose  with  a 
pair  of  red-hot  pincers,  and  held  him  till  the  whole 
neighbourhood  resounded  with  his  bellowings.  Sup- 
ported by  this  affected  character,  Dunstan  obtained 
an  entire  ascendency  over  Edred,  and  was  placed  at 
the  head  of  the  treasury.  Sensible  that  he  owed  his 
advancement  to  the  austerity  of  his  life,  he  became  a 
partisan  of  the  rigid  monastic  rules.  The  celibacy  of 
priests  was  deemed  meritorious  by  the  church  of 
Rome  ; and  the  pope  undertook  to  make  all  the  cler- 
gy in  the  western  world  renounce  the  privilege  of 
m irrying.  In  England,  Dunstan  seconded  his  efforts, 
and  introduced  the  reformation  into  the  convents  of 
Glastonbury  and  Abingdon  $ but  the  secular  clergy, 
who  were  numerous  and  rich,  defended  their  priv- 
ileges against  this  usurpation.  Daring  the  ferment  oc- 
casioned by  these  religious  controversies,  Edred  de- 
parted this  life. 

The  children  of  Edred  being  too  young  to  bear  the 
QKK-i  weight  of  government,  the  throne  was  filled  by  his 
“ -*  nephew  Edwy,  who  was  adorned  with  a graceful 

person  and  possessed  the  most  promising  virtues 


EDWY.— EDGAR. 


2*7 


Contrary  to  the  advi.ce  of  his  wisest  counsellors,  he  un- 
fortunately married  Elgiva,  a beautiful  princess  of  the 
royal  blood,  who  was  within  the  degrees  of  affinity  pro- 
hibited by  the  canon  law.  This  occasioned  the  in- 
vectives of  the  monks  5 and  the  king  found  reason  to 
repent  his  creating  such  dangerous  enemies.  On  the 
day  of  his  coronation,  whilst  his  nobility  were  indulg- 
ing in  riot  and  disorder,  Edwy  retired  from  the  noisy 
revelry  of  the  table,  to  taste  the  pleasures  of  love  with 
Elgiva.  Dunstan,  conjecturing  the  reason  of  the 
king's  retreat,  burst  into  the  apartment,  and  with  ev- 
ery opprobrious  epithet  that  could  be  applied  to  her 
sex,  thrust  the  queen  from  her  royal  consort.  To 
avenge  this  public  insult,  Edwy  accused  Dunstan  of 
malversation  in  the  treasury,  and  banished  him  the 
kingdom.  But  Dunstan's  party  were  not  inactive  dur- 
ing his  absence  : they  exclaimed  against  the  impiety 
of  the  king  and  queen,  and  proceeded  to  still  more 
outrageous  acts  of  violence.  Archbishop  Odo-,  with  a 
party  of  soldiers,  seized  the  queen,  burned  her  face 
with  a hot  iron,  and  forcibly  carried  her  into  Ireland. 
Edwv,  finding  himself  unable  to  resist,  was  obliged  to 
consent  to  his  divorce.  The  unhappy  Elgiva,  at- 
tempting to  return  to  her  husband,  was  seized  by  the 
iiifernal  Odo,  who,  wuth  the  malice  of  a demon,  caus- 
ed her  to  be  hamstrung,  of  which  she  died  a few  days 
after,  at  Gloucester,  in  the  sharpest  torments. 

Not  satiated  with  this  horrible  vengeance,  the 
monks  encouraged  Edgar,  the  younger  brother  of  Ed- 
wy, to  aspire  to  the  throne,  and  soon  put  him  in  pos- 
session of  Mercia,  Northumberland,  and  East-Anglia. 
Dunstan  returned  to  England,  to  assist  Edgar  and  his 
party,  and  after  Odo’s  death,  was  installed  in  the  see 
of  Canterbury.  The  unhappy  Edwy  was  excommuni- 
cated, and  pursued  with  unrelenting  vengeance  3 but 
his  death,  which  happened  soon  after,  freed  him  from 
monkish  persecution,  and  gave  Edgar  peaceable  pos 
session  of  the  throne. 

Edgar  discovered  great  abilities  in  the  government 
qtQ-i  of  the  kingdom  ; and  his  reign  is  one  of  the  most 
* 1 fortunate  in  English  history.  By  his  vigorous 
preparations  for  war,  he  ensured  peace  3 and  he  aw- 
ed equally  the  foreign  and  domestic  Danes.  The 
neighbouring  sovereigns,  the  king  of  Scotland,  dis 


28  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

princes  of  Wales,  of  the  Isle  of  Man,  of  the  Orkneys 
and  of  Ireland,  were  reduced  to  pay  him  submission 
but  the  chief  means  by  which  he  maintained  his  au 
thority,  was  his  assiduous  yet  forced  respect  to  the 
lanatical  and  inhuman  Dunstan  and  his  kundred  monks. 

These  repaid  his  politic  concessions  by  the  high- 
eskpanegyrics  5 and  Edgar  has  been  represented  by 
them  not  only  as  a consummate  statesman  and  a great 
prince,  but  as  a man  of  strict  virtue,  and  even  a saint. 
Nothing  however  could  more  fully  prove,  that  the 
praises  bestowed  on  Edgar,  with  respect  to  the 
sanctity  of  his  life,  were  exaggerated  and  unmerited, 
than  his  immoral  and  licentious  conduct.  He  broke 
into  a convent,  carried  off  Editha,  a nun,  by  force, 
and  even  committed  violence  on  her  person.  For 
tSiis  crime,  Dunstan  required  him  merely  to  abstain 
from  wearing  his  crown  during  seven  years.  At  An- 
dover, too,  Edgar,  struck  with  the  beauty  of  the 
daughter  of  a nobleman,  in  whose  house  he  lodged, 
unceremoniously  went  to  her  mother,  and  desired  that 
the  young  lady  might  pass  that  very  night  with  him. 
The  mother,  knowing  the  impetuosity  of  the  king’s 
temper,  pretended  a submission  to  his  will  but  she 
secretly  ordered  a waiting-maid,  named  Elflede,  to 
steal  into  the  king’s  bed,  after  the  company  had  retir 
ed  to  rest.  The  dawn  of  light  discovered  the  deceit  j 
but  Edgar,  well  pleased  with  his  companion,  express- 
ed no  displeasure  on  account  of  the  fraud  ; and  El 
flede  became  his  favourite  mistress,  until  his  criminal 
marriage  with  Elfrida. 

This  lady  was  daughter  and  heir  of  Olgar,  earl  of 
Devonshire,  and  all  England  resounded  with  the  prais 
esofher  beauty.  The  curiosity  of  Edgar  was  excit- 
ed ‘y  and  he  resolved  to  marry  her,  if  he  found  her 
charms  answerable  to  the  report.  He  communicated 
his  intentions  to  Athelwold,  his  favourite,  whom  he 
deputed  to  bring  him  an  authentic  account  of  her 
person.  Athelwold  found  that  general  report  had  not 
exaggerated  the  beauty  of  Elfrida  ; and  being  smitten 
with  her  charms,  he  determined  to  sacrifice  to  his 
love  for  her  the  fidelity  which  he  owed  to  his  master. 
He  returned  to  Edgar,  and  assured  him,  that  the  birth 
and  riches  of  Elfrida  had  been  the  cause  of  the  admi- 
ration paid  to  her,  and  that  she  possessed  no  charms  of 


WARD. 


superior  lustre.  Aitor  some  time,  he  intimated  to  the 
king,  that,  though  her  parentage  and  fortune  had  not 
deceived  him  with  regard  to  her  beauty,  she  would  be 
an  advantageous  match  for  him,  and  might  by  her 
birth  and  riches  make  him  sufficient  compensation  for 
the  homeliness  of  her  person.  Edgar,  pleased  with 
an  opportunity  of  establishing  his  favourite's  fortune, 
forwarded  his  success  by  a recommendation  to  the  pa- 
rents of  Elfrida,  whose  hand  Athelwold  soon  obtained 

Envy,  which  ever  pursues  the  favourite  of  a king, 
speedily  informed  Edgar  of  the  truth.  However,  be- 
fore he  avenged  the  treachery  of  Athelwold,  he  re- 
solved to  satisfy  himself  of  his  guilt.  He  told  him, 
that  he  intended  to  visit  his  castle,  and  to  be  introduc- 
ed to  his  wife.  Athelwold,  unable  to  refuse  this  hon- 
our, revealed  the  whole  transaction  to  Elfrida,  and 
conjured  her  to  conceal  from  Edgar  that  beauty  which 
had  seduced  him  from  his  fidelity.  Elfrida  promised 
a compliance,  but  appeared  before  the  king  in  all  her 
charms,  and  excited  in  his  bosom  at  once  the  passions 
of  desire  and  revenge.  However,  he  dissembled  his 
emotions,  till  he  had  an  opportunity,  in  hunting,  of 
stabbing  Athelwold,  and  soon  after  publicly  espous- 
ed Elfrida. 

Edgar  died  after  a reign  of  sixteen  years,  and  was 
succeeded  by  Edward,  whom  he  had  by  his  first 
-*  marriage  wich  the  daughter  of  Earl  Ordmer. 
This  prince  was  anointed  and  crowned  by  Dunstan  at 
Kingston,  and  lived  four  years  after  his  accession. 
His  death  alone  was  memorable  and  tragical.  Though 
his  step-mother  had  opposed  his  succession,  and  had 
raised  a party  in  favour  of  her  own  son  Ethelred,  yet 
Edward  had  always  showed  her  marks  of  regard.  He 
was  hunting  one  day  near  Corfe-castle  in  Dorsetshire, 
where  Elfrida  resided,  and  paying  her  a visit  without 
attendants,  he  presented  her  with  the  opportunity  for 
which  she  had  long  wished.  After  remounting  his 
torse,  he  desired  some  liquor  to  be  brought  him  ; and 
vhilst  he  was  holding  the  cup  to  his  mouth  a servant 
>f  Elfrida  approached,  and  stabbed  him  behind.  The 
irince,  feeling  himself  wounded,  set  spurs  to  his  horse, 
;ut  faint  with  the  loss  of  blood,  he  fell  from  the  sad- 
tle,  and  his  foot  being  entangled  in  the  stirrup,  he  was 
lragged  along  until  he  expired.  His  youth  and  inno- 
tence  obtained  for  him  the  appellation  of  Martyr 


30 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Ethelied,  the  son  of  Edgar  and  Elfrida,  reaped  the 
advantage  of  his  mother’s  crime,  and  succeeded 
u-*  to  the  throne.  He  was  a weak  and  irresolute 
monarch,  and  obtained  the  appellation  of  Unready. 
During  his  reign  the  Danes  resumed  their  ravages  j 
and  Ethelred  exhibited  neither  courage  nor  ability  suf- 
ficient to  repel  so  formidable  an  enemy.  A shameful 
composition  was  made  with  Sweyn,  king  of  Denmark  ; 
and  the  English  monarch  consented  to  the  disgraceful 
badge  of  tribute.  Ethelred,  desirous  of  forming  a 
closer  alliance  with  the  pirates  of  the  north,  solicited 
and  received  in  marriage  Emma,  Sister  to  Richard  the 
second,  duke  of  Normandy,  whose  family  sprang  from 
the  Danish  adventurer  Rollo. 

Whilst  their  sovereign  courted  the  alliance,  the 
English  groaned  beneath  the  rapacity  and  arrogance 
of  the  northern  invaders.  Sensible  of  the  superiority 
of  these  hardy  warriors,  the  English  princes  had  been 
accustomed  to  retain  in  their  pay  bodies  of  Danish 
troops.  These  mercenaries,  by  their  arts  and  military 
character,  had  rendered  themselves  so  agreeable  to 
the  fair  sex,  that  they  debauched  the  wives  and  daugh- 
ters of  the  English  5 but  what  most  provoked  the  in- 
habitants was,  that  instead  of  defending  them  against 
invaders,  they  were  always  ready  to  join  the  foreign 
foe.  This  animosity  inspired  Ethelred  with  the  reso- 
lution of  massacreing  the  Danes  throughout  his  do- 
minions. Secret  orders  were  despatched  to  com- 
mence the  execution  every  where  the  same  day  ; and 


1002 


so  well  were  these  orders  executed,  that  the 
[ rage  of  the  people,  sanctioned  by  authority, 
Wov.iJ.  ) distinguished  not  between  innocence  and 
guilt,  and  spared  neither  sex  nor  age. 

This  barbarous  policy,  however,  did  not  remain  long 
inOTl  unrevenged.  Sweyn  and  his  Danes,  who  want- 
•*  ed  only  a pretence  for  invading  England,  ap- 
peared off  the  western  coast.  Exeter  first  fell  into 
their  hands,  from  the  negligence  or  treachery  of  Earl 
Hugh,  a Nornjan,  who  had  been  made  governor  of  that 
city. — Thence  they  extended  their  devastations  over 
the  country.  The  calamities  of  the  English  were  aug- 
mented by  famine  ; and  they  submitted  to  the  infamy 
of  purchasing  a nominal  peace,  by  the  payment  of 
thirty  thousand  Dounds.  The  dissentions  of  the  Eng 


EDMOND. 


31 


1014] 


lish  prevented  them  from  opposing  the  Danes,  who 
still  continued  their  depredations,  and  from  whom 
they  purchased  another  peace  at  the  expense  of  forty- 
eight.  thousand  pounds.  The  Danes,  however,  disre- 
garded all  engagements,  and  extorted  new  contribu- 
tions. The  English  nobility,  driven  to  despair,  swore 
allegiance  to  Sweyn,  and  delivered  him  hostages  for 
their  fidelity.  Ethelred,  equally  afraid  of  the  vio- 
lence qf  the  enemy  and  the  treachery  of  his  own  sub- 

i'ects,  fled  into  Normandy,  whither  he  had  sent  before 
lim  Emma,  and  her  two  sons,  Alfred  and  Edward. 
The  king  had  not  been  more  than  six  weeks  in  Nor- 
mandy, when  he  was  informed  of  the  death  of 
Sweyn.  The  English  prelates  and  nobles  sent 
a deputation  into  Normandy,  and  invited  Ethelred  to 
resume  the  royal  authority.  But  on  his  return  they 
soon  perceived  that  adversity  had  not  corrected  his 
errors  : he  displayed  the  same  incapacity,  indolence, 
cowardice,  and  credulity.  In  Canute,  the  son  and  suc- 
cessor of  Sweyn,  the  English  found  an  enemy  no  less 
formidable  than  his  father.  After  ravaging  the  eastern 
and  southern  coasts,  he  burst  into  the  counties  of 
Dorset,  Wilts,  and  Somerset ; where  an  army  was  as- 
sembled against  him  under  the  command  of  prince 
Edmond,  the  eldest  son  of  Ethelred.  The  English 
soldiers  demanded  the  presence  of  their  sovereign  ; 
and  upon  his  refusal  to  take  the  field,  they  became 
discouraged,  and  gradually  retired  from  the  camp.  Ed- 
mond, after  some  fruitless  expeditions  into  the  north, 
retired  to  London,  which  he  found  in  confusion,  from 
the  death  of  the  king,  who  had  expired  after  an  inglo- 
rious reign  of  thirty-five  years.  He  left  two  sons  by 
his  first  marriage,  Edmond  who  succeeded  him,  and 
Edwy  who  was  murdered  by  Canute  ; and  two  more 
by  his  second  marriage,  Alfred  and  Edward,  who,  up- 
on the  death  of  Ethelred,  were  conveyed  into  Nor- 
mandy by  queen  Emma. 

Edmond,  who  from  his  hardy  valour  obtained  the 
10161  surname  °f  Ironside,  was  inferior  in  abilities 
J only  to  the  difficulties  of  the  time.  In  two  bat- 
tles he  encountered  the  Danes  with  skill  and  courage  j 
but  in  both  .ie  was  defeated  or  betrayed  by  the  enmi- 
ty or  perfidy  of  Edric,  duke  of  Mercia.  The  indefati- 
gable Edmond,  however,  had  still  resources:  ka  as 


32 


HISTORY  OE  ENGLAND. 


eembled  a new  army  at  Gloucester,  and  was  again  pre 

fiared  to  dispute  the  field  3 when  the  Danish  and  Eng- 
ish  nobility,  equally  harassed,  obliged  their  kings  to 
submit  to  a compromise,  and  to  partition  the  kingdom. 
Canute  reserved  to  himself  the  northern  part,  and  re- 
linquished the  southern  to  Edmond.  This  prince  sur- 
vived the  treaty  about  a month  3 he  was  murdered  at 
Oxford  by  two  of  his  chamberlains,  accomplices  of 
Edric,  who  thereby  made  way  for  the  succession  of 
Canute  the  Dane  to  the  crown  of  England. 

Canute,  at  the  head  of  a great  force,  was  ready  to 
10171  a^vanlaoe  t^ie  minority  of  Alfred  and 

-*  Edward,  the  two  sons  of  Edmond.  To  cover, 
however,  his  injustice  under  plausible  pretences,  be 
fore  he  seized  the  dominions  of  the  English  princes, 
he  summoned  a general  assembly  of  the  states,  in  or- 
der to  fix  the  succession  of  the  kingdom.  He  here 
suborned  some  nobles  to  depose,  that,  in  the  treaty  of 
Gloucester,  it  had  been  verbally  agreed,  in  case  of 
Edmond’s  death,  to  name  Canute  successor  to  his  do- 
minions, or  tutor  to  his  children  3 and  this  evidence, 
supported  by  the  great  p®wer  of  Canute,  determined 
the  states  to  vest  in  him  the  government  of  the  king- 
dom. Jealous  of  the  two  princes,  he  sent  them  to 
his  ally  the  king  of  Sweden,  whom  he  desifed  to  free 
him  by  their  de  tth  from  all  future  anxiety.  The  Swe- 
dish monarch  was  too  humane  to  comply  with  this 
cruel  request  3 but  afraid  of  a quarrel  with  Canute  if 
he  protected  the  young  princes,  he  conveyed  them  to 
Solomon,  king  of  Hungary.  The  elder  died  without 
issue  j but  Edward  the  younger  married  Agatha,  the 
sister-in-law  of  Solomon,  and  daughter  of  the  empe- 
ror Henry  II.  by  whom  he  had  Edgar  Atheling,  Mar- 
garet, afterwards  queen  of  Scotland,  and  Christina, 
who  became  a nun. 

Canute  no  sooner  found  himself  confirmed  on  the 
throne,  than  he  put  to  death  the  nobles,  on  whose  fi- 
delity he  could  not  rely  3 and  among  these  was  the 
traitor  Edric,  who  had  presumed  to  reproach  him  with 
his  services.  But,  like  a wise  prince,  he  was  deter- 
mined that  the  English,  now  deprived  of  all  their 
dangerous  leaders,  should  be  reconciled  to  the  Danes 
by  the  justice  and  impartiality  of  his  government.  He 
restoied  the  Saxon  customs  in  ti  c general  assembly 


CANUTE.— HAROLD.  33 

of  the  states  ; he  made  no  distinction  between  Danes 
and  English  in  the  distribution  of  justice  ; and  the 
victors  were  gradually  incorporated  with  the  vanquish- 
ed. Though  the  distance  of  Edmond’s  children  was 
regarded  by  Canute  as  the  greatest  security  to  his  gov- 
ernment yet  he  dreaded  the  pretensions  of  Alfred  and 
Edward,  who  were  supported  by  their  uncle,  Richard 
duke  of  Normandy.  To  acquire  the  friendship  of 
that  prince,  he  paid  his  addresses  to  his  sister  Emma; 
and  the  widow  of  Ethelred  consented  to  bestow  her 
hand  bn  the  implacable  enemy  of  her  former  husband, 
on  condition  that  the  children  of  their  marriage  should 
mount  the  English  throne. 

After  repelling  the  attacks  of  the  king  of  Sweden, 
Canute  invaded  and  subdued  Norway,  of  which  he 
retained  possession  till  his  death.  At  leisure  from 
war,  he  cast  his  view  towards  that  future  existence, 
which  it  is  so  natural  for  the  human  mind,  whether 
satiated  by  prosperity,  or  disgusted  with  adversity,  to 
nake  the  object  of  its  attention.  Instead,  however, 
of  endeavouring  to  atone  for  the  crimes  which  he 
had  committed  by  compensation  to  the  injured,  it  was 
,n  building  churches,  in  endowing  monasteries,  and 
in  a pilgrimage  to  Rome,  that  his  penitence  was  dis- 
played. Some  of  his  courtiers  affected  to  think  his 
power  uncontrollable,  and  that  all  things  would  be 
obedient  to  his  command.  Canute,  sensible  of  their 
adulation,  ordered  his  chair  to  be  placed  on  the  sea- 
shore while  the  tide  was  rising;  and  as  the  waters  ap- 
proached, he  commanded  them  to  retire,  and  tc  obey 
the  voice  of  him  who  was  lord  of  the  ocean.  But 
when  the  sea,  still  advancing  towards  him,  began  to 
wet  his  feet,  he  turned  to  his  courtiers,  and  remarked 
to  them,  that  every  creature  in  the  universe  is  feeble 
and  impotent,  compared  to  that  Almighty  Being  in 
whose  hands  are  all  the  elements  of  nature,  and  who 
can  say  to  the  ocean,  “ Thus  far  shaltthou  go,  and  no 
farther.” 

Canute  died  at  Shaftsbury,  in  the  nineteenth  year 
of  his  reign.  Of  his  two  sons  by  his  first  marriage, 
Sweyn  had  been  crowned  king  of  Norway,  and  Harold 
succeeded  his  father  on  t' e English  throne  ; and 
Hardicanut.e,  who  was  his  issue  by  Emma,  was  left  in 
possession  of  the  kingdom  of  Denmark. 

VOL.  I.  3 


54  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

Though  Harold  succeeded  to  the  throne  of  England 


1035] 


agreeably  to  the  will  of  his  father,  who  consid- 


ered it  dangerous  to  leave  a newly-conquered 
kingdom  in  the  hands  of  so  young  a prince  as  Kardi- 
canutej  yet  this  was  a manifest  violation  of  the  trea- 
ty with  the  duke  of  Normandy,  by  which  England  was 
assigned  to  the  issue  of  Canute  by  Emma.  Harold 
was  favoured  by  the  Danes,  and  Hardicanute  by  the 
English.  The  death  of  Harold,  however,  which  hap- 
pened four  years  after  his  accession,  left  the  succes- 
sion open  to  his  brother  Hardicanute-.  He  expired, 
little  regretted  by  his  subjects,  and  distinguished  only 
for  his  agility  in  running,  by  which  he  had  gained  the 
surname  of  Harefoot. 

Hardicanute,  upon  his  arrival  frpm  the  continent, 
Iqoq-i  was  received  with  the  most  extravagant  dem- 
-*  onstrations  of  joy,  and  was  acknowledged  king 
Doth  by  the  Dan-es  and  the  English.  However,  he 
soon  lost  the  affections  of  the  nation  by  his  miscon- 
duct. At  the  nuptials  of  a Danish  lord,  which  he  had 
honoured  with  his  presence,  Hardicanute  died  5 and 
this  event  once  more  presented  to  the  English  a fa- 
vourable opportunity  of  shaking  off  the  Danish  yoke. 

The  descendants  of  Edmond  Ironside,  the  legiti- 
10411  mate  heirs  to  the  crown,  were  at  a distance  in 
■*  Hungary  ; and  as  all  delays  might  be  dangerous, 
the  vacant  throne  was  offered  to  Edward,  the  son  of 
Ethelred  and  Emma.  His  succession  might  have  been 
opposed  by  earl  Godwin,  who  had  espoused  the  daugh- 
ter of  Canute,  and  whose  power,  alliances,  and  abili- 
ties, gave  him  a great  influence  3 but  it  was  stipulated, 
that  Edward  should  marry  Edilha,  the  daughter  of 
Godwin.  To  this  Edward  consented,  and  was  crown- 
ed king  of  England. 

The  long  residence  of  Edward  in  Normandy,  had 
attached  him  to  the  natives,  who  repaired  to  his  court 
in  great  numbers,  and  who  soon  rendered  their  lan 
guage,  cuSto.ns,  and  laws,  fashionable  in  the  kingdom 
Their  influence  soon  became  disgusting  to  the  Eng- 
lish ; but  above  all  it  excited  the  jealousy  of  Godwin. 
That  powerful  nobleman,  besides  being  earl  or  duke 
of  Wessex,  had  the  counties  of  Kent  and  Sussex  an- 
nexed to  his  government : his  eldest  son,  Sweyn,  pos- 
sessed the  same  autboritv  in  the  counties  of  Oxford 


: jet 


EDWARD. 


S3 


Berks,  Gloucester,  and  Hereford  : and  Harold,  his 
second  son,  was  Duke  of  East  Anglia,  and  at  .the 
same  time  governor  of  Essex..  The  king  had  indeed 
married  the  daughter  of  Godwin  ; but  the  amiable 
qualities  of  Editha  had  never  won  the  affection  of  her 
husband.  It  is  even  pretended  that  Edward  abstained 
from  all  commerce  of  love  with  her  5 and  such  a for- 
bearance, though  it  obtained  for  the  prince,  from  the 
monkish  historians,  the  appellation’ of  Saint  and  Con- 
fessor, could  not  but  be  noticed  by  the  high-spirited 
Godwin. 

However,  the  influence  of  the  Normans  was  the 
popular  pretence  for  the  disaffection  of  the  duke  of 
Wessex  to  the  king  and  his  government.  Godwin 
raised  the  standard  of  rebellion  : but  finding  himself, 
from  the  desertion  of  his  troops,  incapable  of  oppos- 
ing his  sovereign,  he  fled  to  Flanders.  Returning 
with  a powerful  fleet,  which  the  earl  of  Flanders  had 
permitted  him  to  prepare  in  his  harbours,  a new  rec- 
onciliation took  place,  and  the  most  obnoxious  of  the 
Normans  were  banished. 

Godwin’s  death,  which  happened  soon  after,  devolv- 
ed his  government  of  Wessex,  Sussex,  Kent,  and  Es- 
sex, with  his  office  of  steward  of  the  household,  on 
his  son  Harold,  who  was  actuated  by  an  ambition  equal 
to  that  of  his  father,  and  was  superior  to  him  in  virtue 
and  address.  Edward,  who  felt  the  approach  of  age 
and  infirmities,  and  had  no  issue  himself,  began  to 
think  of  appointing  a successor  to  his  kingdom  ; and, 
at  length,  he  fixed  his  choice  on  his  kinsman,  William 
duke  of  Normandy. 

This  celebrated  prince  was  natural  son  of  Robert, 
duke  of  Normandy,  by  Harlotta,  daughter  of  a tanner 
in  Falaise.  The  illegitimacy  of  his  birth  had  not  pre- 
vented him  from  being  acknowledged  by  the  Normans 
as  their  duke  j and  the  qualities  which  he  displayed 
in  the  field  and  the  cabinet,  encouraged  his  friends, 
and  struck  terror  into  his  enemies.  Having  establish- 
ed tranquillity  in  his  own  dominions,  he  visited  Eng- 
land ; where  he  was  received  in  a manner  suitable  to 
the  reputation  he  had  acquired,  and  to  the  obligations 
which  Edward  owed  to  his  family.  Soon  after  his  re- 
turn, he  was  informed  of  the  king’s  intentions  in  his 
favour  ; and  this  first  opened  the  mind  of  William  tc 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


55 

entertain  such  ambitious  hopes.  Harold,  however, 
openly  aspired  to  the  succession  ; and  Edward,  feeble 
and  irresolute,  was  afraid  to  declare  either  for  or 
against  him.  In  this  state  of  uncertainty,  the  king  was 
surprised  by  death,  in  the  sixty-fifth  year  of  his  age, 
and  the  twenty -fifth  of  his  reign. 

On  the  death  of  Edward,  the  last  of  the  Saxon  prin- 
lOffl  ces?  Harold  ascended  the  throne  with  little  op- 
•*  position  j and  the  whole  nation  seemed  to  ac- 
quiesce in  his  elevation.  The  duke  of  Normandy, 
however,  received  the  intelligence  w*th  the  greatest 
indignation.  No  sooner  had  he  proclaimed  his  inten- 
tion of  attempting  the  conquest  of  England,  than  he 
found  less  difficulty  in  completing  his  levies,  than  in 
rejecting  those  who  were  desirous  of  serving  under 
him.  The  duke  of  Normandy  speedily  assembled  a 
fleet  of  three  thousand  vessels,  in  which  to  transport 
an  army  of  sixty  thousand  men,  whom  he  had  selected 
from  the  numbers  that  courted  his  service.  Among 
these  were  found  the  high  names  of  the  most  illustri- 
ous nobles  ot  Normandy,  France,  Brittany,  and  Flan- 
ders. To  these  bold  Chieftains  William  held  up 
the  spoils  of  England  as  the  prize  of  their  valour  ; and 
pointing  to  the  opposite  shore,  he  told  them,  that  there 
was  the  field,  on  which  to  erect  trophies  to  their  name, 
and  fix  their  residence.  The  Norman  armament  ar- 
rived, without  any  material  loss,  at  Pevensey  in  Sus- 
sex 5 and  the  troops  were  disembarked  without  meet- 
ing any  obstacle.  The  duke  himself,  as  he  leaped  on 
shore,  happened  to  stumble  and  fall;  but  he  had  the 
presence  of  mind  to  turn  the  omen  to  his  advantage, 
by  calling  aloud  that  he  had  taken  possession  of  the 
country. 

Harold  had  just  gained  a great  and  important  victo- 
ry over  the  Norwegians,  who  had  invaded  the  king- 
dom, when  he  received  the  intelligence  that  the  duke 
of  Normandy  had  landed  with  a numerous  army  in  the 
south  of  England.  He  resolved  to  give  battle  in  per- 
son, and  soon  appeared  in  sight  of  the  enemy,  who 
had  pitched  their  camp  at  Hastings.  So  confident  was 
Harold  of  success,  that  to  a message  sent  him  by  the 
duke,  he  replied,  “ The  god  of  battles  should  soon  be 
llie  arbiter  of  all  their  differences.” 

Both  parties  immediately  prepared  for  action  ; but 


HAROLD. 


37 


lOffi  ) ^ne  English  spent  the  night  previously  to  Ihe 
> battle,  in  riot  and  jollity;  whilst  the  Nor- 
^ ^ mans  were  occupied  in  prayer  and  in  the  du- 

ties of  religion.  On  the  morning,  the  duke  assembled 
his  principal  officers  and  harrangued  them  in  a set 
speech,  in  which  he  used  every  argument  that  could 
stimulate  their  courage  and  repel  their  fears.  He  then 
ordered  the  signal  of  battle  to  be  given  ; and  the 
whole  army,  moving  at  once,  and  singing  the  hymn  or 
song  of  Roland,  the  famous  peer  of  Charlemagne, 
advanced  in  order  and  with  alacrity  towards  the  Eng- 
lish. 

Harold  had.  seized  the  advantage  of  a rising  ground, 
and  having  secured  his  flanks  with  trenches,  he  re- 
solved to  stand  on  the  defensive,  and  to  avoid  an  en- 
gagement with  the  cavalry,  in  which  he  was  inferior. 
The  Kentish  men  were  placed  in  the  van,  a post  of 
honour  which  they  always  claimed  as  their  due.  The 
Londoners  guarded  the  standard;  and  the  king  him- 
self, accompanied  by  his  two  valiant  brothers,  Gurth 
and  Leofwin,  dismounting  from  his  horse,  placed  him- 
self at  the  head  of  his  infartry,  and  expressed  his 
resolution  to  conquer  or  to  die.  The  first  attack  of 
the  Normans  was  desperate,  but  was  received  with 
equal  valour  by  the  English  ; and  the  former  began  to 
retreat,  when  William  hastened  to  their  support  with 
a select  band.  His  presence  restored  the  action ; 
and  the  English  in  their  turn  were  obliged  to  retire. 
They  rallied  again,  however,  assisted  by  the  advan- 
tage of  the  ground  ; when  William  commanded  his 
troops  to  allure  the  enemy  from  their  position,  by  the 
appearance  of  flight.  The  English  followed  precipi- 
tately into  the  plain  ; where  the  Normans  faced  upon 
them,  and  forced  them  back  with  considerable  slaugh- 
ter. The  artifice  was  repeated  a second  time  with 
the  same  success  ; yet  a great  body  of  the  English 
still  maintained  themselves  in  firm  array,  and  seemed 
resolved  to  dispute  the  victory.  Harold,  however, 
was  slain  by  an  arrow,  whilst  combating  at  the  head  of 
his  men  ; and  his  two  brothers  shared  tne  same  fame. 
The  English,  discouraged  by  the  fall  of  their  princes, 
fled  on  all  sides  ; and  the  darkness  of  the  night  con- 
tributed to  save  those  who  had  survived  the  carnage 
of  the  battle. 


38 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Thus  was  gained  by  William,  duke  of  Normal  dy. 
the  great  and  decisive  victory  of  Hastings,  after  a 
battle  fought  from  morning  to  sun-set,  in  which  the 
valour  of  the  vanquished,  as  well  as  of  the  victois, 
was  highly  conspicuous.  In  this  engagement  nearly 
fifteen  thousand  Normans  fell  ; and  William  had  three 
horses  killed  under  him.  But  the  victory,  however 
dearly  purchased,  was  decisive,  as  it  paid  the  price  of 
a kingdom.  The  body  of  Harold  was  brought  to  Wil- 
liam, who  generously  restored  it  without  ransom  tc 
his  mother.  The  Norman  army  gave  thanks  to  heaven 
for  their  success ; and  their  prince  pressed  forwards  to 
secure  the  prize  he  had  won. 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  Reigns  of  William  the  Conqueror,  William  Ru- 
fus, Henry  and  Stephen. 

As  soon  as  William  passed  the  Thames  at  Walling- 
lOPfl  *orcU  Stigand,  the  primate,  made  submission  tc 
•*  him  : and  before  he  came  in  sight  of  London, 
all  the  chief  nobility  entered  his  camp,  and  request 
ed  him  to  mount  the  throne,  declaring  that,  as  they 
had  always  been  ruled  by  regal  power,  they  desired  to 
follow,  in  this  instance,  the  example  of  their  ances- 
tors, and  knew  of  no  one  more  worthy  than  himself  to 
hold  the  reins  of  government.  Though  William  feign- 
ed to  hesitate,  and  wished  to  obtain  a more  formal 
consent  of  the  English  nation,  yet  he  dreaded  the  dan- 
ger of  delay,  and  accepted  of  the  crown  wh;ch  was 
thus  tendered  him.  He  was  consecrated  in  Westmin- 
ster Abbey  by  Aldred,  archbishop  of  York  5 and  he 
was  attended,  on  this  occasion,  by  the  most  considera- 
ble of  the  nobility,  both  English  and  Norman. 

Thus,  by  a pretended  destination  of  king  Edward, 
and  by  an  irregular  election  of  the  people,  but  still 
more  1 y force  of  arms,  William  seated  himself  on  the 
English  throne.  He  introduced  into  England  that 
strict  execution  of  justice  for  which  his  government 
had  been  much  celebrated  in  Normandy.  He  confirm 
ed  the  liberties  and  immunities  of  London,  and  thr 


WILLIAM  THE  CONQUEROR. 


39 


ather  cities  of  England,  and  appeared  desirous  of  re. 
placing  every  thing  on  ancient  establishments.  His 
whole  administration  had  the  semblance  of  that  of  a 
lawful  prince,  not  of  a conqueror  ; and  the  English 
began  to  flatter  themselves  that  they  had  changed  only 
the  succession  of  their  sovereigns,  and  not  the  form 
of  their  government.  But  amidst  this  confidence  and 
friendship  which  he  expressed  for  the  English,  the 
king  took  care  to  place  all  real  power  in  the  hands  of 
the  Normans.  He  built  citadels  in  London,  Winches- 
ter, Hereford,  Oxford,  and  the  towns  best  situated  for 
commanding  the  kingdom,  all  of  which  he  garrisoned 
with  Norman  soldiers. 

By  this  mixture  of  vigour  and  lenity,  William  had 
so  soothed  or  humbled  the  minds  of  the  English,  that 
he  thought  he  might  safely  revisit  his  native  country, 
and  enjoy  tiie  congratulations  of  his  ancient  subjects. 
Accordingly,  he  set  out  for  Normandy,  and  carried 
over  with  him  the  chief  of  the  English  nobles,  who, 
whilst  they  served  to  grace  his  court  by  their  magnifi- 
cence, were  in  reality  hostages  for  the  fidelity  of  the 
nation. 

During  the  absence  of  William,  affairs  took  a very 
unfavourable  turn  in  England.  It  is  probable  that  the 
Normans,  despising  a people  who  had  so  easily  sub- 
mitted to  the  yoke,  and  envying  their  riches,  were  de- 
sirous of  provoking  them  to  rebellion.  Certain,  how- 
ever, it  is,  that  their  arrogance  multiplied  discontents 
and  complaints  every  where  5 that  secret  conspira- 
cies were  entered  into  against  the  government 3 and 
that  every  thing  seemed  to  threaten  a revolution.  The 
disaffection  of  the  English  daily  increased  3 and  a se- 
cret conspiracy  was  entered  into  to  perpetrate  in  one 
day  a general  massacre  of  the  Normans,  like  that- 
which  had  been  formerly  executed  upon  the  Danes. 

The  return  of  the  king,  however,  disconcerted  the 
plans  of  the  conspirators  ; and  the  confiscation  of 
their  estates  enabled  the  king  still  farther  to  gratify 
the  rapacity  of  the  Normans.  Though  naturally  vio- 
lent and  severe  in  his  temper,  yet  William  still  pre 
served  the  appearance  of  justice  in  his  oppressions 
he  restored  to  their  inheritance  such  as  had  been  ar- 
bitrarily expelled  by  the  Normans  during  his  absence  * 
but  he  imposed  on  the  oeople  the  tax  of  Danegelt 


40  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

which  had  been  abolished  by  Edward  the  Confessor 
and  which  was  extremely  odious  to  the  nation. 

The  English  now  clearly  foresaw  that  the  king  in 
tended  to  rely  entirely  on  the  support  and  affection  of 
foreigners,  and  that  new  forfeitures  would  be  the  re- 
sult of  any  attempt  to  maintain  their  rights.  Impress- 
ed with  this  dismal  prospect,  many  fled  into  foreign 
countries.  Several  of  them  settled  in  Scotland,  and 
founded  families  which  were  afterwards  illustrious  in 
that  country.  But  whilst  the  English  suffered  under 
these  oppressions,  the  Normans  found  themselves  sur- 
rounded by  an  enraged  people,  and  began  to  wish  for 
tranquillity.  However,  the  rage  of  the  vanquished 
English  served  only  to  excite  the  attention  of  the  king 
and  his  warlike  chiefs  to  suppress  every  commence- 
ment of  rebellion. 

William  introduced  into  England  the  feudal  law, 
which  had  some  time  been  established  in  Normandy 
and  France.  He  divided  with  very  few  exceptions, 
besides  the  royal  demesnes,  all  the  lands  of  England 
into  baronies ; and  he  conferred  them,  with  the  reser- 
vation of  stated  services  and  payments,  on  the  most 
considerable  of  his  adventurers.  These  barons  mad© 
a grant  of  a great  part  of  their  lands  to  other  foreign- 
ers, under  the  denomination  of  knights  or  vassals, 
who  paid  their  lord  the  same  duty  and  submission 
which  the  chieftain  paid  to  their  sovereign.  The 
whole  kingdom  contained  about  700  chief  tenants,  and 
60,215  knights  fees  ; and  as  none  of  the  native  English 
were  admitted  into  the  first  rank,  the  few  who  retained 
their  landed  property  were  glad  to  be  received  into 
the  second,  under  the  protection  of  some  powerful 
Norman. 

The  doctrine  which  exalted  the  papacy  above  all 
human  power,  had  gradually  diffused  itself  from 
Rome;  but,  at  this  time,  was  more  prevalent  in  the 
southern,  than  in  the  northern  kingdoms  of  Europe. 
Pope  Alexander,  who  had  assisted  William  in  his 
conquests,  naturally  expected  that  he  would  extend  to 
England  the  reverence  for  this  sacred  character,  and 
break  the  spiritual  independence  of  the  Saxons.  As 
soon,  therefore,  as  the  Norman  prince  was  established 
on  the  throne,  Alexander  despatched  to  him  Esmen- 
"roy,  bishop  of  Siam,  as  his  legate:  and  the  kino 


WILL* AM  THE  CONQUEROR.  41 


though  he  was  probably  led  by  principle  to  pay  sub 
mission  to  Rome,  determined  to  employ  this  incident 
as  a means  of  serving  his  political  purposes,  and  de- 
graded those  English  prelates  who  were  obnoxious  to 
him.  However,  the  superstitious  spirit,  which  became 
dangerous  to  some  of  William’s  successors,  was 
checked  by  the  abilities  of  that  monarch.  He  prohib- 
ited his  subjects  from  acknowledging  any  one  for 
pope,  whom  he  himself  had  not  previously  received; 
and  he  would  not  suffer  any  bills  or  letters  from  Rome 
to  be  produced  without  the  sanction  of  his  authority. 

But  the  English  had  the  mortification  to  find  that 
the  king  employed  himself  chiefly  in  oppressing  them 
He  even  formed  a project  of  extinguishing  the  Eng- 
lish language  ; and,  for  that  purpose,  he  ordered  that 
in  all  schools  youth  should  be  instructed  in  the 
French  tongue ; and  that  all  law  proceedings  should 
be  directed  in  the  same  idiom  : hence  arises  that  mix- 
ture of  French  which  is  at  present  found  in  the  Eng- 
lish tongue,  and  particularly  in  legal  forms. 

William’s  eldest  son,  Robert,  who  was  greedy  of 
fame,  impatient  of  contradiction,  and  without  reserve 
in  his  friendships  or  enmities,  had  been  flattered  with 
the  hope  that  his  father,  in  possession  of  England, 
would  resign  to  him  the  independent  government  of 
his  continental  dominions.  The  king,  indeed,  had 
declared  Robert  his  successor  in  Normandy,  and  had 
obliged  the  barons  of  that  duchy  to  do  homage  to  him 
as  their  future  sovereign ; but  when  Robert  demanded 
of  his  father  the  execution  of  those  engagements, 
William  refused;  Robert  openly  declared  his  discon- 
tent, and  cherished  a violent  jealousy  against  his  two 
surviving  brothers,  William  and  Henry.  Irritated  by 
an  imaginary  affront,  he  quitted  the  court,  and  after  an 
ineffectual  attempt  to  surprise  the  citadel  of  Rouen, 
fled  to  Hugh  de  Neufchatel,  a powerful  Norman  baron, 
and  openly  levied  war  against  his  father.  After  a 
struggle  of  several  years,  a reconciliation  was  effected 
between  the  king  and  Robert,  who  soon  after  accom- 
panied his  father  to  England. 

Having  gained  a respite  from  war,  William  employ- 
ed his  leisure  in  an  undertaking  which  does  honour  to 
his  memory.  He  appointed  commissioners  to  survey 
all  the  lands  in  the  kingdom  ; their  extent  in  each  dis 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


42 

trict  5 their  proprietors,  tenures,  value  ; and  the  quan- 
tity of  meadow,  pasture,  wood,  and  arable  land,  which 
they  contained.  This  monument,  called  Domesday 
Book,  was  perfected  in  six  years,  and  is  still  preserved 
in  the  exchequer. 

The  domestic  happiness  of  William  was  again  inter- 
10831  ruPted  by  tbe  death  of  his  consort  Matilda, 
-*  whom  he  tenderly  loved.  He  was  involved  in 
war  with  France,  on  account  of  the  inroads  into  Nor- 
mandy by  some  French  barons  on  the  frontiers.  The 
displeasure  of  William  was  increased  by  some  raille- 
ries which  Philip  of  France  had  thrown  out  against 
his  person.  He  was  become  corpulent,  and  had  been 
detained  in  bed  some  time  by  sickness,  when  Philip 
jocularly  expressed  his  surprise,  that  his  brother  of 
Fn  gland  should  be  so  long  in  being  delivered  of  his 
big  belly.  This  being  reported  to  William,  he  sent 
Philip  word,  that,  as  soon  as  he  was  up,  he  would 
present  so  many  lights  at  Notre-dame,  as  perhaps 
would  give  little  pleasure  to  the  king  of  France  ; allu- 
ding to  the  usual  practice  at  that  time  of  women  after 
childbirth.  Immediately  after  his  recovery,  he  led  an 
army  into  the  Isle  of  France,  which  he  laid  waste  ; 
and  he  also  took  and  reduced  to  ashes  the  town  of 
Mante.  But  the  progress  of  these  hostilities  was 
stepped  by  an  accident,  which  put  an  end  to  his  life. 
His  horse  starting,  he  bruised  his  belly  on  the  pommel 
ef  his  saddle;  and  being  in  a bad  habit  of  body,  and 
apprehending  the  consequences,  he  ordered  himself  to 
be  carried  to  the  monastery  of  St.  Gervas.  In  his 
last  moments  he  was  struck  with  remorse  for  the  cru 
cities  he  had  exercised,  and  endeavoured  to  make 
atonement  by  presents  to  churches  and  monasteries 
He  left  Normandy  and  Maine  to  his  eldest  son  Robert ; 
and  he  wrote  to  Lanfranc,  archbishop  of  Canterbury, 
desiring  him  to  crown  his  second  son,  William.  To 
Henry,  his  third  son,  be  bequeathed  nothing  save  the 
possessions  of  his  mother  Matilda,  but  foretold  that 
he  would  one  day  surpass  both  his  brothers,  in  power 
and  opulence.  Having  made  these  dispositions,  he 
expired,  in  the  sixty-third  year  of  his  age,  and  in  the 
twenty-first  of  his  reign  over  England. 

Few  princes  have  been  more  fortunate  than  William 
or  v ere  bolter  entitled  to  grandeur  and  prosperity 


WILLIAM  RUFUS 


43 


from  the  abilities  and  vigour  of  mind  which  he  dis- 
played in  all  his  conduct.  His  spirit  was  bold  and 
enterprising,  yet  guided  by  prudence  : and  his  ambi- 
tion, though  exorbitant,  generally  submitted  to  the 
dictates  of  sound  policy.  Though  not  insensible  to 
generosity,  he  was  hardened  against  compassion;  and 
his  conduct  was  too  austere  to  render  his  government 
popular  over  a vanquished  people,  who  felt  him  to  be 
both  a master  and  a tyrant. 

William,  surnamed  Rufus , from  the  red  colour  of 
10871  hair,  was  solemnly  crowned  king  of  England 
* by  the  primate ; and  about  the  same  time  Rob- 
ert was  acknowledged  successor  to  Normandy.  But 
the  barons,  who  possessed  estates  both  in  England  and 
Normandy,  were  'uneasy  at  the  separation  of  those 
territories;  they  respected  the  claim  of  primogeniture 
in  Robert,  and  they  preferred  his. open  and  generous 
nature  to  the  haughty  and  tyrannical  disposition  of  his 
brother.  A conspiracy,  therefore,  was  formed  against 
William,  who,  conscious  of  his  danger,  endeavoured 
to  conciliate  the  affections  of  the  English,  by  promises 
of  future  lenity,  and  the  indulgence  of  hunting  in  the 
royal  forests.  The  English  espoused  the  cause  of 
William,  who  marched  an  army  into  Kent,  and  reduc- 
ed the  fortresses  of  Pevensey  and  Rochester,  which 
had  been  seized  by  his  uncles.  This  success,  together 
with  the  indolent  conduct  of  Robert,  broke  all  the 
hopes  of  the  rebels;  some  few  of  whom  received  a 
pardon ; but  the  greater  part  were  attainted,  and  their 
estates  confiscated. 

But  the  noise  of  the  petty  wars  and  commotions 
sunk  in  the  tumult  of  the  crusades,  which  engrossed 
the  attention  and  agitated  the  hearts  of  the  principal 
nations  of  Europe.  Peter  the  Hermit,  a native  of 
Amiens  in  Picardy,  had  made  the  pilgrimage  to  Jeru- 
salem, then  in  possession  of  the  Turks.  Deeply  affect- 
ed with  the  dangers  to  which  that  act  of  piety  now 
exposed  the  pilgrims,  he  entertained  the  design  of 
leading  against  the  Moslems  the  hardy  warriors  of  the 
west.  By  permission  of  the  pope,  Martin  the  Second, 
he  preached  the  crusade  over  Europe  ; and  men  of  all 
ranks  flew  to  arms,  with  the  greatest  alacrity,  for  the 
purpose  of  rescuing  the  Holy  Land  from  the  infidels 
The  sign  of  the  cross  became  the  badge  of  union,  ano 


44 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


was  affixed  on  their  right  shoulder,  by  all  who  enlisted 
themselves  in  this  sacred  warfare.  Such  was  the  gen* 
eral  ardour,  that  while  the  youthful  and  vigorous  took 
up  arms,  the  infirm  and  aged  contributed  to  the  expe- 
dition by  presents  and  money.  A promiscuous,  disor- 
derly multitude  of  300,000,  impatient  to  commence 
operations,  under  the  conduct  of  Peter  the  Hermit, 
attempted  to  penetrate  through  Hungary  and  Bulgaria 
to  Constantinople,  and  perished  by  disease,  by  famine, 
and  the  sword.  These  were  followed  by  more  numer- 
ous and  better  disciplined  armies,  which,  after  passing 
the  streights  at  Constantinople,  were  mustered  in  the 
plains  of  Asia,  and  amounted  to  the  number  of  700,000 
combatants. 

Robert  duke  of  Normandy,  impelled  by  the  bravery 
and  mistaken  generosity  of  his  spirit,  had  early  engag- 
ed in  the  crusade ; but  being  destitute  of  money,  he 
offered  to  mortgage,  or  rather  sell  his  dominions  to 
his  brother  William,  for  the  inadequate  sum  of  ten 
thousand  marks.  The  bargain  was  soon  concluded; 
and  whilst  Robert  set  out  with  a magnificent  train  for 
the  Holy  Land,  William  possessed  himself  of  Norman- 
dy, and  thus  re-united,  beneath  his  authority,  the  ex 
tensive  dominions  of  his  father. 

The  cession  of  Normandy  and  Maine  extended  the 
dominions,  but  on  account  of  the  unsettled  state  of 
those  countries,  weakened  the  power  of  William. 
The  Norman  nobles  were  men  of  independent  minds, 
and  wrere  supported  by.the  French  king  in  all  their  in- 
surrections. Helic,  lord  of  le  Fleche,  a small  town 
in  Anjou,  obliged  YVilliam  to  undertake  several  expe 
ditions,  before  he  could  prevail  over  a petty  baron 
who  had  acquired  the  confidence  and  affections  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Maine. 

However,  the  king  was  not  less  desirous  of  extend- 
ing his  dominions.  William,  earl  of  Poictiers  and 
duke  of  Guienne,  inflamed  with  the  spirit  of  adventure, 
determined  to  join  the  crusaders  ; but  wanting  money 
to  forward  the  preparations,  he  offered  to  mortgage  his 
dominions  to  the  king  of  England.  This  proposal  was 
accepted  by  the  king,  who  had  prepared  a fleet  and  ar 
my  to  escort  the  money  and  to  take  possession  of  the 
rich  provinces  of  Poictiers  and  Guienne,  when  an  ac- 
cident put  an  end  to  all  his  ambitious  projects  an(< 


HENRY  I. 


45 


views  of  aggrandizement.  He  was  engaged  in  the 
New  Forest  in  hunting,  accompanied  by  Walter  Tyr- 
rel, a French  gentleman,  remarkable  for  his  skill  in 
archery  ; and  as  William  dismounted  after  a chace/ 
Tyrrel,  impatient  of  showing  his  dexterity,  let  fly  an 
arrow  at  a stag,  which  suddenly  started  before  him. 
The  arrow  glancing  from  a tree,  struck  the  king  in  the. 
breast,  and  instantly  killed  him.  Tyrrel,  fearful  of 
suspicions  which  perhaps  he  was  conscious  of  incur- 
ring, without  informing  the  royal  attendants,  gained 
the  seashore,  embarked  for  France,  and  joined  the 
crusade  in  an  expedition  to  Jerusalem,  as  a penance 
for  this  involuntary  crime  : William  was  perfidious 
and  oppressive  • and  the  extremes  of  prodigality  and 
rapacity,  which  were  reconciled  in  him,  had  long  es- 
tranged from  him  the  hearts  of  his  subjects.  The 
chiel  monuments  which  perpetuate  his  name  are  the 
Tower,  Westminster  Hall,  and  London  Bridge. 

Prince  Henry  was  hunting  with  Rufus  in  the  New 
•1001  Forest,  when  that  monarch  was  killed  5 and, 
■*  hastening  to  Winchester,  he  extorted  by  threats 
the  royal  treasure  from  William  de  Breteuil,  the  keep 
er.  Pursuing  nis  journey  to  London,  and  having  as 
sembled  some  noblemen  and  prelates,  whom  his  ad- 
dress or  liberality  gained  to  his  side,  he  was  saluted 
king:  and  in  less  than  three  days  after  his  brother’s 
death,  he  was  solemnly  crowned  by  Maurice,  bishop 
of  London. 

To  maintain  the  dignity  which  he  had  thus  usurped, 
Henry  resolved  to  court,  by  fair  professions  at  least, 
the  favour  of  his  subjects.  He  passed  a charter, 
which  was  framed  to  remedy  many  of  the  grievous 
oppressions  that  had  been  complained  of  during  the 
reigns  of  his  father  and  brother.  He  espoused  Matil- 
da, daughter  of  Malcolm  the  Third,  king  of  Scotland, 
and  niece  to  Edgar  Atheling;  and  his  marriage  with 
a Saxon  princess,  endeared  him  to  the  English,  and 
tended  to  establish  him  on  the  throne. 

Robert  returned  to  Normandy  about  a month  after 
the  death  of  his  brother  William.  After  establishing 
his  authority  over  Normandy,  he  made  preparations 
for  possessing  himself  of  England,  of  which  he  had 
been  so  unjustly  defrauded.  The  two  armies  lay  in 
sight  of  each  other  for  several  days  without  coming  to 


46 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


action.  It  was,  however,  agreed  that  Robert,  in  lieu 
of  his  pretensions  to  England,  should  receive  an  an- 
nual pension  of  3000  marks  ; that  if  either  of  the  prin- 
ces died  without  issue,  the  survivor  should  succeed 
to  his  dominions  : and  that  the  adherents  of  each 
should  be  pardoned. 

Alternately  plunged  into  the  most  dissolute  pleas- 
ures, or  abandoned  to  the  most  womanish  supersti- 
tions, Robert  neglected  the  government  of  his  duchy  ; 
and  Normandy  became  a scene  of  violence  and  depre- 
dation. To  avail  himself  of  these  disorders,  Henry 
raised  a numerous  army,  with  which  he  invaded  Nor- 
mandy. He  took  Bayeuk  by  storm,  and  was  admitted 
into  Caen  by  the  inhabitants.  Robert,  roused  at  last 
from  his  lethargy,  advanced  to  meet  him,  with  a view 
of  terminating  their  quarrels  in  a decisive  battle  : he  . 
resumed  his  wonted  spirit;  he  animated  his  troops  by 
his  example,  and  threw  the  English  into  disorder  : but 
when  he  had  the  fairest  prospect  of  victory,  the 
treachery  and  flight  of  one  of  his  generals  occasioned 
the  total  defeat  of  his  army.  Robert  and  ten  thousand 
of  his  followers  were  made  prisoners.  Normandy 
submitted  to  the  victors;  and  the  unfortunate  prince 
was  carried  by  Henry  into  England,  and  detained  in 
prison  during  the  remainder  of  his  life,  in  the  castle 
of  Cardiff  in  Glamorganshire. 

The  conquest  of  Normandy  seemed  to  establish  the 
throne  of  Henry  ; but  his  prosperity  was  clouded  by  a 
severe  domestic  calamity.  His  only  son,  William, 
hau  reached  his  eighteenth  year;  he  had  been  affianc- 
ed to  the  daughter  ofFulk,  count  of  Anjou;  and  he 
had  been  acknowledged  as  successor  to  the  kingdom 
of  England,  and  the  duchy  of  Normandy.  The  prince 
was  detained  for  some  hours  after  his  father  had  set 
sail  from  Barfleur  to  return  to  England  ; and  his  cap- 
tain and  crew  having  spent  the  interval  in  drinking, 
when  they  weighed  anchor,  in  their  impatience  to 
overtake  the  king,  they  struck  the  ship  on  a rock, 
where  she  immediately  foundered.  William  was  in- 
stantly put  into  the  long-boat,  and  had  got  clear  of  the 
ship;  when  hearing  the  cries  of  his  natural  sister,  the 
countess  of  Perche,  he  ordered  the  seamen  to  row 
back  in  hopes  of  saving  her.  But  the  numbers  who 
then  crowded  in,  soon  sunk  the  boat;  and  the  pr’nre 


STEPHEN.  41 

with  all  his  retinue  perished.  Above  one  hundred  and 
forty  young  noblemen,  of  the  principal  families  of 
England  and  Normandy,  were  lost  on  this  occasion 
and  the  only  person  that  escaped  to  relate  the  melan- 
choly tale  was  a butcher  of  Rouen,  who  clung  to  the 
mast,  and  was  taken  up  the  next  morning  by  some 
fishermen  When  Henry  received  intelligence  of 
this  mournful  event,  he  fainted  away  ; and  it  was  re- 
marked that  he  never  after  recovered  his  wonted 
cheerfulness. 

Henry  had  now  no  legitimate  issue  except  one 
daughter,  Matilda,  whom  he  had  betrothed,  when  on- 
ly eight  years  of  age,  to  the  emperor  Henry  the  Fifth, 
and  whom  he  had  sent  over  to  be  educated  in  Germa- 
ny. Fearful  lest  her  absence  from  the  kingdom,  and 
marriage  into  a foreign  family,  might  endanger  the 
succession,  Henry  obtained  the  hand  of  Adelais, 
daughter  of  Godfrey,  Duke  of  Lovane.  Adelais, 
However,  proved  barren  in  his  embraces  ; and  he  be- 
stowed his  daughter  Matilda,  who  had  become  a wid- 
ow, on  Geoffery,  the  son  of  Fulk,  count  of  Anjou. 

Henry  died  at  St.  Dennis  le  Forment,  from  eating 
too  plentifully  of  lampreys,  in  the  sixty-seventh  year 
of  his  age,  and  the  thirty-fifth  of  his  reign;  leaving  by 
will  his  daughter  Matilda  the  heir  of  all  his  domin 
ions.  He  was  one  of  the  most  accomplished  princes 
that  ever  graced  the  English  throne.  His  person  was 
manly,  and  his  countenance  engaging  ; and  he  was  el- 
oquent, penetrating,  and  brave.  By  his  great  progress 
in  literature,  he  acquired  the  name  of  Beau-clerc,  or 
the  scholar;  but  his  application  to  those  sedentary 
pursuits  abated  nothing  of  the  activity  and  vigilance 
of  his  government. 

The  failure  of  male  heirs  to  the  kingdom  of  Eng- 
11351  land  and  duchy  of  Normandy,  seemed  to  leave 
■*  the  succession  open,  without  a rival,  to  the  em- 
press Matilda  ;.but  no  sooner  had  Henry  breathed  his 
last,  than  Stephen,  son  of  Adela,  daughter  of  William 
the  Conqueror,  hastened  to  London,  and  was  saluted 
king  by  the  popula-ce.  His  father  was  the  count  of 
Blois,  whom  Adela  had  married ; and  Stephen  had  al- 
ways affected  the  greatest  attachment  to  his  uncle,  the 
late  king,  and  the  most  ardent  zeal  for  the  succession 
of  Matilda.  After  gaining  the  populace,  Stephen  next 


48 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


acquired  the  good-will  of  the  clergy,  by  the  influence 
of  his  brother  Henry,  bishop  of  Winchester  ; and  he 
was  solemnly  crowned  by  the  archbishop  of  Canterbu- 
ry, without  much  attendance  indeed,  but  without  op- 
position. 

The  Normans  no  sooner  heard  that  Stephen  had 
seized  the  English  crown,  than  they  swore  allegiance 
to  him  ; and  Matilda  was  scarcely  informed  of  her  fa- 
ther’s death,  before  she  found  another  had  usurped  her 
rights.  Matilda,  however,  did  not  long  delay  to  as- 
sert her  claim  to  the  crown.  Encouraged  by  a quar- 
rel which  had  broken  out  between  Stephen  and  some 
of  the  clergy,  she  landed  in  England,  with  Robert  earl 
of  Gloucester,  and  a retinue  of  one  hundred  and  forty 
knights.  She  fixed  her  residence  at  Arundel  castle, 
the  gates  of  which  were  opened  to  her  by  Adelais  the 
queen-dowager  5 and  she  excited  her  partisans  to  take 
arms  in  every  county  of  England.  The  war  quickly 
broke  out  in  every  quarter  5 and  England,  for  more 
than  a year,  was  distressed  and  laid  waste  by  the  fury 
of  the  contending  parties.  At  last,  a battle  took  place 
between  Stephen  and  the  earl  of  Gloucester.  Af- 
ter a violent  shock,  the  two  wings  of  the  royalists 
were  put  to  flight ; and  Stephen  himself,  surrounded 
by  the  enemy,  was  borne  down  by  numbers,  and  tak 
en  prisoner. 

The  authority  of  Matilda  now  seemed  to  be  estab- 
lished over  the  whole  kingdom  ; but  affairs  did  not  re- 
main long  in  this  situation.  Matilda  was  passionate 
and  imperious,  and  did  not  know  how  to  temper  with 
affability  the  harshness  of  a refusal.  Stephen’s  queen, 
seconded  by  many  of  the  nobility,  petitioned  for  the 
liberty  of  her  husband,  on  condition  that  he  should 
renounce  the  crown,  and  retire  into  a convent.  Oth- 
er petitions  also  were  presented  to  Matilda  ; but  she 
rejected  them  all  in  the  most  haughty  and  perempto- 
ry manner.  A conspiracy  was  entered  into  to  seize 
her  person;  but  Matilda  saved  herself  by  a precipi 
tate  retreat  to  Oxford.  The  Civil  War  was  re-kindled 
with  greater  fury  than  ever  ; and  Matilda,  harassed 
with  incessant  action,  sought  repose  with  her  son  in 
Normandy. 

But  when  prince  Henry,  the  son  of  Matilda,  had 
reached  his  sixteenth  year,  he  resolved  to  reclaim  his 


HENRY  II. 


43 


heieditary  kingdom.  Informed  of  the  dispositions  of 
the  English  in  his  favour,  he  invaded  England  3 and, 
at  Malmesbury,  he  prepared  to  encounter  Stephen  in 
a pitched  battle.  The  great  men  on  both  sides,  alarm- 
ed at  the  consequences  of  a decisive  action,  compel- 
led the  rival  princes  to  a negotiation.  It  was  agreed, 
that,  on  the  demise  of  Stephen,  the  crown  should  re- 
vert to  Henry  3 and  that  William,  Stephen's  surviving 
son,  should  succeed  to  the  earldom  of  Boulogne, 
and  his  patrimonial  estate.  After  all  the  barons  had 
sworn  to  the  observance  of  this  treaty,  and  done  hom- 
age to  Henry,  as  heir-apparent  to  the  crown,  that 
orince  evacuated  the  kingdom  ; and  the  death  of 
Stephen,  which  happened  the  next  year,  after  a short 
illness,  in  the  fiftieth  year  of  his  age,  put  an  end  to 
farther  jealousies. 

Had  Stephen  succeeded  by  a just  title  to  the 
crown,  he  seems  to  have  been  well  qualified  to  have 
promoted  the  happiness  of  his  subjects.  He  was  pos- 
sessed of  industry,  activity,  and  courage  5 and  though 
his  judgment  may  be  arraigned,  his  humanity  must  be 
acknowledged,  and  his  address  commended.  During 
this  reign,  the  see  of  Rome  made  a rapid  progress  in 
its  encroachments,  and  ultimately  pretended  to  a par 
amount  authority  over  the  kings  of  this  country. 


CHAPTER  IY. 

Reigns  of  Henry  II.,  Richard  /.,  and  John. 

The  first  acts  of  Henry's  government  corresponded 
11551  to  high  idea  entertained  of  his  abilities. 

He  dismissed  the  mercenary  soldiers  of  Ste- 
phen 3 revoked  all  grants  made  by  his  predecessors  3 
restored  the  coin  which  had  been  debased  during  the 
former  reign  5 and  was  rigorous  in  the  execution  of 
justice,  and  the  suppression  of  violence. 

In  addition  to  his  possessing  the  throne  of  England, 
Henry,  in  right  of  his  father,  was  master  of  Anjou 
and  Touraine  5 in  that  of  his  mother,  of  Normandy 
and  Maine  3 in  that  of  his  wife,  of  Guienne,  Poictou, 
Xantoigne,  Auvergne,  Perigord,  Angournois,  and  tlu 

VOL.  I.  *1 


50  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

Limosin  ; and  he  annexed  Brittany  to  his  other  states  . 
all  of  which  rendered  him  one  of  the  most  powerful 
monarchs  in  Christendom,  and  an  object  of  great  jeal- 
ousy to  the  king  of  France. 

Henry  directed  his  attention  to  the  encroachments  of 
the  see  of  Rome,  which  had  grown  with  a rapidity  not 
to  be  brooked  by  a prince  of  his  hign  spirit.  To  fa- 
cilitate his  design  of  suppressing  them,  he  advanced 
to  the  dignity  of  metropolitan,  Becket,  his  chancel- 
lor, on  whose  flexibility  of  temper  he  had  made  a 
wrong  estimate. 

Thomas  a Becket  was  born  of  reputable  parents  in 
the  city  of  London  ; and  haying  insinuated  himself 
into  the  favour  of  Theobald,  archbishop  of  Canterbu- 
ry, he  obtained  from  that  prelate  considerable  prefer- 
ment. Being  of  a gay  and  splendid  turn,  and  appa- 
rently little  tenacious  of  ecclesiastical  privileges, 
Henry  thought  him  the  fittest  person,  on  the  death  of 
Theobald,  for  the  high  station  of  metropolitan  5 but 
no  sooner  was  he  installed  in  this  high  dignity,  than 
he  altered  his  conduct  and  demeanour.  He  maintain- 
ed in  his  retinue  and  attendants  alone,  his  ancient 
pomp  and  lustre  5 in  his  own  person  he  affected  the 
greatest  austerity;  he  wore  sackcloth  next  his  skin, 
which  he  pretended  to  conceal  ; he  seemed  perpetu- 
ally employed  in  reciting  prayers  and  pious  lectures; 
and  ail  men  of  penetration  plainly  saw  that  he  was 
meditating  some  great  design. 

Though  Henry  found  himself  grievously  mistaken 
in  the  character  of  the  person  whom  he  had  raised  to 
the  primacy,  yet  he  determined  not  to  desist  from  his 
former  intention  of  retrenching  clerical  usurpations 
The  ecclesiastics  in  that  age  had  renounced  all  im- 
mediate subordination  to  the  magistrate;  and  crimes 
of  the  blackest  die  were  committed  by  them  with  im- 
punity. A clerk  in  Worcestershire,  having  debauched 
a gentleman’s  daughter,  had  proceeded  to  murder  the 
father;  the  general  indignation  against  the  crime, 
moved  the  king  to  attempt  the  remedy  of  an  abuse 
which  had  become  so  palpable,  and  to  require  that  the 
deck  should  be  delivered  up,  and  receive  condign 
punishment  from  the  magistrate.  Becket  insisted  on 
the  privileges  of  the  church,  and  maintained  that  no 
greater  punishment  could  be  inflicted  on  the  criminal 
than  degradation. 


HENRY  II. 


51 


In  order  to  define  expressly  those  laws  to  which  he 
/equired  obedience,  and  to  mark  the  limits  between 
the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  jurisdictions,  Henry  sum- 
moned a general  council  of  the  nobility  and  prelates 
at  Clarendon  ; when,  by  his  influence  or  authority, 
the  laws  so  favourable  to  prerogative,  known  by  the 
name  of  the  Constitutions  of  Clarendon,  were  voted 
without  opposition.  Becket,  of  all  the  prelates,  alone 
withheld  his  assent;  but  he  was  at  last  obliged  to 
comply,  and  engaged  by  oath  legally , with  good  faith, 
and  without  fraud,  or  reserve , to  observe  them.  How- 
ever, Alexander,  who  was  pope  at  that  time,  condemn- 
ed them  in  the  strongest  terms,  abrogated,  annulled, 
and  rejected  them. 

Becket  no  sooner  learnt  the  determination  of  the 
Roman  pontiff,  than  he  expressed  the  deepest  sorrow 
for  his  compliance,  and  endeavoured  to  engage  the 
other  bishoos  to  adhere  to  their  common  rights.  This 
excited  the  resentment  of  Henry,  who  caused  a pros- 
ecution for  some  land  that  he  held  to  be  commenced 
against  him ; and  when  the  primate  excused  himself 
from  appearing,  on  account  of  indisposition,  he  wag 
arraigned  as  guilty  of  a contempt  of  the  king’s  court; 
and  being  condemned,  his  goods  and  chattels  were 
confiscated.  Henry  soon  after  required  Becket  to 
give  in  the  account  of  his  administration  while  chan- 
cellor, and  estimated  the  balance  due  at  44,000  marks, 
for  which  he  demanded  sureties.  After  celebrating 
mass,  where  he  had  previously  ordered  that  the  introit 
to  the  communion  service  should  begin  with  the 
words,  Princes  sat  and  spake  against  me,  arrayed  in 
the  sacred  vestments,  and  bearing  the  cross  aloft  in 
his  hands,  he  entered  the  royal  apartments,  and  de- 
clared that  he  put  himself  and  his  see  under  the  pro- 
tection of  the  supreme  pontiff.  Having  in  vain  asked 
permission  to  leave  Northampton,  he  withdrew  se- 
cretly to  the  sea-coast,  and  found  a vessel  which  con- 
veyed him  to  France,  where  he  was  received  with  ev- 
ery token  of  regard. 

Henry  issued  orders  to  his  justiciaries,  inhibiting, 
under  severe  penalties,  all  appeals  to  the  pope  or 
archbishop ; and  by  discovering  some  intentions  of 
acknowledging  Pascal  III.,  the  anti-pope  at  that  time, 
he  endeavoured  to  terifv  the  enterprising  though 


52 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


prudent  pontiff  from  proceeding  to  extremities  against 
nim.  On  the  other  hand,  Becket  not  only  issued  a 
censure,  excommunicating  the  king’s  chief  ministers 
by  name,  but  also  abrogated  and  annulled  the  Const! 
tutions  of  Clarendon  ; and  he  declared  that  he  sus- 
pended the  spiritual  thunder  over  Henry  himself,  sole 
ly  that  the  prince  might  avoid  the  blow  by  a timely 
repentance. 

At  length  a reconciliation  was  effected  between  the 
king  and  the  primate  3 and  Becket  was  allowed  to  re- 
turn, on  conditions  which  may  be  esteemed  both  hon- 
ourable and  advantageous  to  that  prelate.  He  was 
not  required  to  give  up  any  rights  of  the  church,  or 
resign  any  of  those  pretensions  which  had  been  the 
original  ground  of  the  controversy.  It  was  agreed 
that  all  these  questions  should  be  buried  in  oblivion  3 
but  that  Becket  and  his  adherents  should,  without  ma- 
king further  submission,  be  restored  to  all  their  liv 
ings  j and  that  even  the  possessors  of  such  benefices  as 
depended  on  the  see  of  Canterbury,  and  had  been  filled 
during  the  primate’s  absence,  should  be  expelled,  and 
becket  have  liberty  to  supply  the  vacancies.  In  re- 
turn for  concessions  which  trenched  so  deeply  on  the 
honour  and  dignity  of  the  crown,  Henry  reaped  only 
the  advantage  of  seeing  his  ministers  absolved  from 
the  sentence  of  excommunication  pronounced  against 
them,  and  of  preventing  the  interdict  with  which  his 
kingdom  had  been  threatened.  So  anxious  was  Henry 
to  accommodate  all  differences,  and  to  reconcile  him- 
self fully  with  Becket,  that  on  one  occasion  he  humil- 
iated himself  so  far  as  to  hold  the  stirrup  of  that  haugh- 
ty prelate  while  he  mounted  his  horse. 

Whilst  the  king  was  expecting  an  interdict  to  be 
laid  on  his  kingdom,  he  had  associated  his  son,  prince 
Henry,  in  the  royalty,  and  had  caused  him  to  be 
crowned  by  the  archbishop  of  York.  Becket,  elated 
by  the  victory  which  he  had  gained  over  his  sovereign, 
on  his  arrival  in  England  suspended  the  archbishop  of 
York,  and  excommunicated  the  bishops  of  London 
and  Salisbury,  who  had  assisted  at  the  coronation  of 
the  prince. 

When  the  suspended  and  excommunicated  prelates 
arrived  at  Baieux,  where  the  king  then  resided,  and 
informed  him  of  the  violent  proceedings  of  Becket 


HENRY  II.  b3 

he  was  vehemently  agitated,  and  burst  forth  into  an 
exclamation  against  his  servants,  whose  want  of  zeaF 
ne  said,  had  so  long  left  him  exposed  to  the  enterpri- 
ses of  that  ungrateful  and  imperious  prelate.  Foui 
gentlemen  of  his  household,  Reginald  Fitz-Urse,  Wil- 
liam de  Traci,  Hugh  de  Moreville,  and  Richard  Brito, 
taking  these  passionate  expressions  to  be  a hint  for 
the  primate;s  death,  immediately  communicated  their 
thoughts  to  each  other;  and  swearing  to  avenge  their 
prince’s  quarrel,  secretly  withdrew  from  court.  The 
four  assassins,  though  they  took  different  roads  to  Eng- 
land, arrived  nearly  at  the  same  ti-ine  at  Saltwood,  near 
Canterbury  ; and  being  there  joined  by  some  assist- 
ants, they  proceeded  in  great  haste  to  the  archiepis- 
copal  palace.  They  found  the  primate,  who  trusted 
entirely  to  the  sacredness  of  his  character,  very  slen- 
derly attended;  and  though  they  threw  out  many 
menaces  and  reproaches  against  him,  he  was  so  inca- 
pable of  fear,  that,  without  using  any  precautions 
against  their  violence,  he  immediately  proceeded  to 
St.  Benedict’s  church  to  hear  vespers.  They  follow- 
ed him  thither,  attacked  him  before  the  altar,  and  hav- 
ing cloven  his  head  with  many  blows,  retired  without 
experiencing  any  opposition.  Such  was  the  tragical 
end  of  Thomas  a Becket,  a prelate  of  the  most  lofty, 
intrepid,  and  inflexible  spirit,  who  was  able  to  cover 
to  the  world,  and  probably  to  himself,  the  enterprises 
of  pride  and  ambition,  under  the  disguise  of  sanctity, 
and  of  zeal  for  the  interests  of  religion. 

The  intelligence  of  Becket’s  murder  threw  the  king 
into  the  greatest  consternation  ; and  he  was  immedi- 
ately sensible  of  the  dangerous  consequences  which 
he  had  to  apprehend  from  so  horrible  an  event. 
However,  the  rage  of  Alexander  was  appeased,  by  the 
ministers  of  Henry  making  oath  before  the  whole  con- 
sistory of  their  sovereign’s  innocence,  and  engaging 
that  he  would  make  every  submission  which  should 
oe  required  of  him.  Becket  was  afterwards  canoniz- 
ed by  the  pope  ; and  pilgrimages  were  performed  t<? 
obtain  his  intercession  with  heaven. 

Henry,  finding  himself  in  no  immediate  danger  from 
1 1721  the  Sunders  of  the  Vatican,  undertook  an  expe- 
-*  dition  against  Ireland.  That  island,  about  thi 
middle  of  the  twelfth  century,  besides  m.my  smal' 


54 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


tribes,  contained  five  principal  sovereignties,  Mun 
ster,  Leinster,  Meath,  Ulster-,  and  Connaught;  and 
as  it  had  been  usual  for  one  or  the  other  of  these  to 
take  the  lead  in  their  wars,  there  was  commonly  some 
prince,  who  seemed,  for  the  time,  to  act  as  monarch 
of  Ireland.  Roderic  O’Ctfnnor,  king  of  Connaught, 
was  then  advanced  to  this  dignit17:  but  his  govern 
ment,  .11  obeyed  even  within  his  own  territory,  could 
not  unite  the  people  in  any  measures  either  for  the 
establishment  of  order,  or  for  deience  against  for- 
eigners. 

Dermot  Macmorrogh,  king  of  I.einster,  having  ren- 
dered himself  obnoxious  by  his  licentious  tyranny,  had 
been  expelled  his  dominions  by  a confederacy,  of 
which  Connaught  was  the  chief.  The  exiled  prince 
applied  to  Henry  for  succour,  who  gave  Dermot  no 
other  assistance  than  letters  patent,  by  which  he  em- 
powered all  his  subjects  to  aid  him  in  the  recovery  of 
his  dominions.  Dermot  formed  a treaty  with  Richard, 
surnamed  Strongbow,  earl  of  Strigul ; who  stipulated, 
for  this  assistance,  a promise  that  he  should  marry  his 
daughter  Eva,  and  be  declared  heir  to  all  his  territo- 
ries. Dermot  also  engaged  in  his  service  Robert  Fitz- 
Stephens,  constable  of  Abertivi,  and  Maurice  Fitz- 
Gerall,  and  obtained  their  promise  of  invading  Ire- 
land: he  himself  privately  returned  to  his  own  state, 
concealed  himself  in  a monastery  which  he  had  found- 
ed, and  prepared  every  thing  for  the  reception  of  his 
English  allies. 

The  troops  of  Fitz-Stephens  were  first  ready.  That 
gentleman  landed  in  Ireland  with  thirty  knights,  sixty 
esquires,  and  three  hundred  archers.  The  conjunction 
of  Maurice  de  Pendergast,  who,  about  the  same  time 
brought  over  ten  knights  and  sixty  archers,  enabled 
Fitz-Stephens  to  attempt  the  siage  of  Wexford,  a town 
inhibited  by  the  Danes ; and  after  gaining  an  advan- 
tage, he  made  himself  master  of  the  place.  Soon  after 
V'itz-Gerald  arrived  with  ten  knights,  thirty  esquires, 
and  a hundred  archers  ; and  being  joined  by  the  former 
adventurers,  composed  a force  which  nothing  in  Ire- 
land was  able  to  withstand.  Roderic,  the  chief  mon 
arch  of  the  island,  was  fo:ied  in  different  actions:  the 
prince  of  Ossory  was  obliged  to  submit,  and  give  hos 
‘ages  for  his  peaceable  behaviour;  and  Dermot,  nof 


HENRY  II. 


5c 


content  with  being  restored  to  his  kingdom  of  Lein- 
ster, projected  the  dethroning  of  Roderic,  and  aspired 
io  the  sole  dominion  of  Ireland. 

In  prosecution  of  these  views,  he  sent  over  a mes- 
senger to  the  earl  of  Strigul,  challenging  the  perform- 
ance of  his  promise,  and  displaying  the  mighty  advan- 
tages which  might  now  be  reaped  by  a reinforcement 
of  warlike  troops  from  England.  Strongbow  first  sent 
over  Raymond,  one  of  his  retinue,  with  ten  knights, 
and  seventy  archers ; and  as  Richard  himself,  who 
brought  over  two  hundred  horse  and  a body  of  archers, 
joined  them  a few  days  after,  the  English  made  them- 
selves masters  of  Waterford,  and  proceeded  to  Dub- 
lin, which  was  taken  by  assault.  Richard,  marrying 
Eva,  became  soon  after,  by  the  death  of  Dermot,  mas- 
ter of  the  kingdom  of  Leinster,  and  prepared  to  extend 
his  authority  over  all  Ireland. 

Henry,  jealous  of  the  progress  of  his  own  subjects, 
sent  orders  to  recall  all  the  English  5 and  that  monarch 
himself  landed  in  Ireland  at  the  head  of  five  hundred 
knights.  The  adventurers  appeased  him  by.  offering 
to  hold  all  their  acquisitions  in  vassalage  to  his  crown  j 
and  the  Irish  being  dispirited  by  their  misfortunes, 
nothing  more  was  necessary  than  to  receive  their  sub- 
mission. The  whole  island  was  formally  annexed  to 
the  English  crown  3 and  Henry,  after  granting  to  earl 
Strigul  the  commission  of  seneschal  of  Ireland,  re- 
turned in  triumph  to  England. 

The  king  had  appointed  Henry,  his  eldest  son,  to 
be  his  successor  in  the  kingdom  of  England,  the  duchy 
of  Normandy,  and  the  counties  of  Anjou,  Maine,  and 
Touraine  5 Richard,  his  second  son,  was  invested  in 
the  duchy  of  Guienne  and  county  of  Poictou  ; Geof- 
fery,  his  third  son,  inherited,  in  right  of  his  wife,  the 
duchy  of  Brittany  3 and  the  new  conquest  of  Ireland 
was  destined  for  the  appanage  of  John,  his  fourth  son. 
But  this  exaltation  of  his  family  excited  the  jealousy 
of  all  his  neighbours,  who  made  those  very  sons, 
whose  fortunes  he  had  so  anxiously  established,  the 
means  of  embittering  his  future  life,  and  disturbing  his 
government. 

Young  Henry  had  been  persuaded  by  Lewis  of 
France,  that  by  the  ceremony  of  coronation,  in  ths 
life  of  his  father,  he  was  entitled  to  sovereignty,  lr. 


■r--— . ^ 


% HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

consequence  of  these  extravagant  ideas,  he  desiied 
the  king  to  resign  to  him  either  the  crown  of  England, 
or  the  duchy  of  Normandy  ; and  on  the  king  refusing  to 
grant  his  request,  he  fled  to  Paris.  Whilst  Henry 
was  alarmed  at  this  incident,  his  uneasiness  was  in 
creased  by  the  conduct  of  his  queen,  Eleanor  who  was 
not  less  troublesome  to  her  present  husband  by  hei 
jealously,  in  regard  to  the  fair  Rosamond  and  others, 
than  she  had  been  to  her  former  by  her  g dlantries. 
She  communicated  her  discontents  to  her  two  younger 
sons,  Geoffery  and  Richard  ; persuaded  them  that  they 
were  also  entitled  to  the  present  possession  of  the 
territories  which  had  been  assigned  them,  and  induc- 
ed them  to  flee  secretly  to  the  court  of  France.  Thus 
Europe  saw  with  astonishment  three  boys  scarcely 
arrived  at  puberty,  pretend  to  dethrone  their  father,  a 
monarch  in  the  full  vigour  of  his  age,  and  plenitude  of 
his  power. 

The  king  of  England  was  obliged  to  seek  for  aux- 
iliaries in  the  tribes  of  banditti,  who,  under  the  name 
of  Brabangons,  or  Cottereaux,  proffered  their  swords 
to  the  most  liberal  employer.  At  the  head  of  twenty 
thousand  of  these  hardy  and  lawless  ruffians,  and  the 
few  troops  that  he  had  brought  from  Ireland,  he  at- 
tacked and  defeated  the  French  army,  and  crushed  the 
insurgents  in  Brittany.  He  continued  his  negotiations 
in  the  midst  of  victory,  and  offered  to  his  undutiful 
sons  the  most  liberal  terms  ; but  these  were  rejected 
by  the  confederates,  who  depended  on  the  league  they 
had  concerted  with  the  king  of  Scotland,  and  several 
of  the  most  powerful  barons  of  England. 

In  consequence  of  that  league,  the  king  of  Scotland 
broke  into  the  northern  provinces  with  a great  army  of 
eighty  thousand  men  ; and  Henry,  who  had  baffled  all 
his  enemies  in  France,  and  had  put  his  frontiers  in  a 
posture  of  defence,  now  found  England  the  seat  of 
danger.  He  landed  at  Southampton  ; and  knowing  the 
influence  of  superstition  over  the  minds  of  the  people, 
he  hastened  to  Canterbury,  in  order  to  make  atone- 
ment to  the  canonized  ashes  of  Thomas  a Becket 
As  soon  as  he  came  within  sight  of  the  church  of 
Canterbury,  he  dismounted,  walked  barefoot  towards 
it,  prostrated  himself  before  the  shrine  of  the  saint 
remained  in  fasting  and  prayer  during  a whole  dry 


HENRY  II. 


51 


and  watched  all  night  the  holy  reliques.  He  also  as- 
sembled a chapter  of  the  monks,  disrobed  himself  be- 
fore them,  put  a scourge  of  discipline  into  the  hands 
of  each,  and  presented  his  bare  shoulders  to  the  lashes 
which  these  ecclesiastics  inflicted  upon  him.  Next 
day  he  received  absolution  ; and  departing  for  London, 
soon  after  received  the  agreeable  intelligence  of  a 
great  victory  which  his  generals  had  obtained  over  the 
Scots,  in  which  William  their  king  was  taken  prisoner, 
and  which  being  gained,  as  was  reported,  on  the  very 
day  of  his  absolution,  was  regarded  as  the  earnest  of 
his  final  reconciliation  with  Heaven  and  with  Thomas 
a Becket. 

This  victory  was  decisive  in  favour  of  Henry,  and 
entirely  broke  the  spirit  of  the  English  rebels.  In  a 
few  weeks  all  England  was  restored  to  tranquillity. 
Lewis,  the  king  of  France,  was  obliged  to  consent  to  a 
cessation  of  arms,  and  engaged  with  sincerity  in  a 
treaty  of  peace ; and  Henry,  after'granting  to  his  sons 
much  less  favourable  terms  than  he  had  formerly  offer 
ed,  received  their  submissions.  It  cost  the  king  of 
Scots  the  ancient  independency  of  his  crown,  as  the 
price  of  his  liberty.  William  stipulated  to  do  homage 
to  Henry  for  Scotland  and  all  his  other  possessions ; 
and  the  English  monarch  engaged  the  king  and  states 
of  Scotland  to^make  a perpetual  cession  of  the  for- 
tresses of  Berwick  and  Roxborough,  and  to  allow  the 
castle  of  Edinburgh  to  remain  in  his  hands  for  a lim- 
ited time.  This  was  the  first  great  ascendant  which 
England  had  over  Scotland  j and  indeed  the  first  im- 
portant transaction  between  the  kingdoms. 

A few  years  after,  Henry  found  his  eldest  son  again 
engaged  in  conspiracies,  and  ready  to  take  arms 
against  him.  But  while  the  young  prince  was  con. 
ducting  these  intrigues,  he  was  seized  with  a fever  at 
Martel,  a castle  near  Turenne,  where  he  died  full  of 
remorse  for  his  undutiful  behaviour  to  his  father. 

A crusade  had  been  once  more  projected  j but  Phil- 
ip, who  filled  the  throne  of  France,  and  was  jealous 
of  Henry's  power,  entered  into  a private  confederacy 
with  young  Richard.  Philip  demanded  that  Richard 
should  be  crowned  king  of  England,  be  immediately 
invested  with  all  his  father's  transmarine  dominions, 
%nd  espouse  Alice,  Philip's  sister,  to  whom  he  had 


58 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


been  already  affianced.  Henry  refused  to  accede  t« 
these  stipulations  j but  experiencing  a reverse  of  for 
tune,  he  was  at  length  obliged  to  submit  to  the  rigo- 
rous terms,  which,  under  the  mediation  of  the  duke 
of  Burgundy,  were  offered  to  him. 

The  mortification,  however,  which  Henry  endured 
on  this  occasion,  was  increased  by  discovering  that 
his  fourth  son,  John,  who  had  ever  been  his  favourite, 
had  secretly  entered  into  the  unnatural  confederacy 
which  Richard  had  formed  against  him.  The  unhap 
py  father,  already  overloaded  with  cares  and  sorrows, 
finding  his  last  disappointment  in  his  domestic  tender- 
ness. broke  out  into  expressions  of  the  utmost  despair, 
cursed  the  day  on  which  he  received  his  miserable 
being,  and  bestowed  on  his  ungrateful  and  undutifu] 
children  a malediction  which  he  could  never  be  pre- 
vailed on  to  retract.  The  agitation  of  his  mind  threw 
nim  into  a lingering  fever,  of  which  he  expired  at  the 
castle  of  Chinon,  near  Saumur,  in  the  fifty-eighth  yeat 
i his  age,  and  the  thirty-fifth  of  his  reign  , and  he 
was  bur.ee  .it  Fontervrault. 

Henry  was  tne  greatest  prince  of  his  time  for  wis- 
dom and  abilities,  and  the  most  powerful,  in  extent 
of  dominion,  of  all  that  had  filled  the  throne  of  Eng- 
land. His  character,  in  private  as  well  as  in  public 
life,  is  almost  without  a blemish  ; i*nd  he  seems  to 
have  possessed  every  accomplishment,  both  of  body 
and  mind,  which  renders  a man  either  estimable  or 
amiable.  He  loved  peace,  but  possessed  both  bravery 
and  abilities  in  war  ; he  was  provident  without  timidi 
ty  j severe  in  the  execution  of  justice  without  rigour  j 
and  temperate  without  austerity. 

The  remorse  of  Richard  for  his  undutiful  behaviour 

I ROT  f°war^s  his  father,  influenced  him  in  the  choice 
of  his  servants  after  his  succession.  Those 
who  had  favoured  his  rebellion  were  on  all  occasions 
treated  with  disregard  and  contempt , whilst  the  faith- 
ful ministers  of  Henry,  who  had  opposed  the  enter- 
prises of  his  sons,  were  continued  in  those  offices 
which  they  had  honourably  discharged  to  their  former 
master. 

The  love  of  military  glory  impelled  the  king  to  act, 
from  the  beginning  of  his  reign,  as  if  the  sole  pur- 
pose of  his  government  had  been  the  relief  of  the 


RICHARD  I. 


59 


Holy  Land,  and  the  recovery  of  Jerusalem  from  the 
Saracens.  This  zeal  against  infidels,  being  communi- 
cated to  his  subjects,  broke  out  in  London  on  the  day 
of  his  coronation  ; when  some  Jews,  who  had  pre- 
sumed, contrary  to  the  orders  of  the  king,  to  approach 
the  hall  in  which  he  dined,  were  dragged  forth,  and 
put  to  death,  and  vengeance  fell  on  their  innocent 
brethren.  Instantly,  their  houses  .were  broken  open, 
their  effects  plundered,  and  themse  ves  slaughtered. 
The  inhabitants  of  other  cities  followed  the  example 
of  the  people  of  London  3 and  in  York,  five  hundred 
Jews,  who  had  retired  into  the  castie,  finding  them- 
selves unable  to  defend  it,  murdered  their  own  wives 
and  children,  and,  setting  fire  to  the  houses,  perished 
in  the  flames. 

Richard,  regardless  of  every  other  consideration 
than  the  expedition  to  the  Holy  Land,  endeavoured  to 
obtain  supplies  for  the  exigencies  of  so  perilous  a 
war,  by  every  expedient  which  he  could  devise.  He 
put  to  sale  the  revenues  and  manors  of  the  crown, 
and  the  offices  of  greatest  trust  and  power.  He  yield- 
ed up  for  ten  thousand  marks  the  vassalage  of  Scot- 
land, with  the  fortresses  of  Roxborough  and  Berwick. 
He  even  declared,  that  he  would  sell  London  itself, 
could  he  find  a purchaser.  He  left  the  administration 
in  the  hands  of  Hugh  bishop  of  Durham,  and  of  Long- 
champ  bishop  of  Ely  ; and,  accompanied  by  all  the 
military  and  fiery  spirits  of  the  kingdom,  set  out  for  the 
frontiers- of  Burgundy,  where  he  had  engaged  to  meet 
the  French  king. 

In  the  plains  of  Vezelay,  Richard  and  Philip  re- 
viewed their  forces,  and  found  their  combined  arm> 
amount  to  one  hundred  thousand  men  3 and  after  re 
peating  their  vows  of  friendship  to  each  other,  they 
separated,  Richard  embarking  at  Marseilles,  and  Phil- 
ip at  Genoa.  They  reached  Messina  about  the  same 
time,  and  passed  the  winter  in  Sicily,  where  several 
quarrels  broke  out  between  the  troops  of  the  different 
nations  j and  these  were  communicated  to  the  two 
kings,  who,  however,  waiving  immediate  jealousies/ 
proceeded  to  the  Holy  Land. 

The  English  army  arrived  in  time  to  partake  in  the 
siege  of  Acre  or  Ptolemais,  which  had  been  attacked 
for  more  than  two  years  by  the  united  force  or  all  the 


60 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Christians  in  Palestine.  The  siege  of  Acre  was  pi  ess 
cd  with  redoubled  ardour  5 but  the  harmony  of  the 
chiefs  was  of  short  duration.  The  opposite  views  of 
Richard  and  Philip  produced  faction  and  dissection 
in  the  Christian  army,  and  retarded  all  its  operations. 
But  as  the  length  of  the  siege  had  reduced  the  Sara- 
cen garrison  to  the  last  extremity,  they  surrendered 
themselves  prisoners  5 and  the  gates  of  Acre  were 
opened  to  the  conquerors. 

On  the  surrender  of  this  place,  Philip,  disgusted 
with  the  ascendancy  acquired  by  Richard,  declared 
his  resolution  of  returning  to  France,  under  the  plea 
of  a bad  state  of  health.  He  left,  however,  to  the 
king  of  England,  ten  thousand  of  his  troops,  under 
the  command  of  the  duke  of  Burgundy,  and  engaged 
by  oath  not  to  commence  hostilities  against  that 
prince’s  dominions  during  his  absence  ; but  he  no 
sooner  reached  home,  than  he  proceeded,  though  se- 
cretly, in  a project  which  the  present  situation  of 
England  rendered  inviting. 

Immediately  after  Richard  had  left  England,  the 
two  prelates,  whom  he  had  appointed  guardians  of 
the  realm,  broke  out  into  animosities  against  each  oth- 
er, and  threw  the  kingdom  into  confusion.  Long 
champ,  naturally  presumptuous,  and  armed  with  the 
legantine  commission,  hesitated  not  to  arrest  his  col- 
league, the  bishop  of  Durham,  and  governed  the 
kingdom  by  his  sole  authority.  At  length,  he  had  the 
temerity  to  throw  into  prison  Geoffrey,  archbishop  of 
York.  This  breach  of 'ecclesiastical  privileges  excit- 
ed such  an  universal  ferment,  that  prince  John  sum- 
moned the  guardian  before  a council  of  the  nobility 
and  prelates.  Longchamp,  conscious  of  his  error,  fted 
beyond  sea,  and  was  deprived  of  his  offices  of  chan- 
cellor, and  chief  justiciary  ; ..but  his  commission  of 
legate  still  enabled  him  to  disturb  the  government. 
Philip  not  only  promoted  his  intrigues  ; but  entered 
11Q21  into  a correspondence  with  John,  to  whom  he 
■*  promised  his  sister  Alice  in  marriage,  and  the 
possession  of  all  Richard’s  transmarine  dominions. 
John  was  with  difficulty  deterred  from  this  enterprise 
by  the  vigilance  of  his  mother,  and  the  menaces  of 
the  council. 

The  jealousy  of  Philip  was  excited  by  the  g;or) 


RICHARD  I 


61 


which  the  actions  of  Richard  gained  him  in  the  east 
The  king  of  England  obtained  a complete  victory  over 
the  Saracens,  of  whom  forty  thousand  are  said  to  have 
perished  in  the  field  of  battle  ; he  recovered  Ascalon, 
and  advanced  within  sight  of  Jerusalem,  the  object 
of  his  enterprise  j but  long  absence,  fatigue,  disease, 
and  want,  had  abated  the  ardour  of  the  crusaders. 
Every  one,  except  the  king  of  England,  expressed  a 
desire  of  returning  into  Europe.  Richard  was  forced 
to  yield  to  their  importunities  ; and  he  concluded  a . 
truce  with  Saladin,  by  which  the  Christians  were  left 
in  possession  of  Acre,  Joppa,  and  other  sea-port  towns 
of  Palestine,  and  were  allowed  a free  pilgrimage  to 
Jerusalem. 

As  -Richard  was  acquainted  with  the  intrigues  of 
Philip,  he  ventured  not  to  pass  through  France  on  his 
return,  but  sailed  to  the  Adriatic  3 and  being  ship- 
wrecked near  Aquileia,  he  put  on  the  disguise  of  a 
pilgrim,  and  endeavoured  to  pursue  his  route  through 
Germany.  At  Vienna  he  was  arrested  by  orders  of 
Leopold,  duke  of  Austria,  and  by  him  he  was  sold  to 
'he  Emperor  Henry  VI.,  who  affected  to  consider  him 
«as  an  enemy-,  on  account  of  an  alliance  which  he  had 
contracted  with  Tancred  king  of  Sicily.  Thus  Rich- 
ard, who  had  filled  the  world  with  his  renown,  was 
confined  in  a dungeon,  and  loaded  with  irons. 

The  king  of  France  prepared  to  avail  himself  of 
11931  mis^ortunes*  Philip  entered  into  negotia 
J tions  with  prince  John,  who  stipulated  to  deliv 
er  to  the  king  of  France  a great  part  of  Normandy 
and  received,  in  return,  the  investiture  of  all  Rich- 
ard’s transmarine  dominions.  In  consequence  of  this 
treaty,  Philip  invaded  Normandy,  and  by  the  treachery 
of  John’s  adherents  overran  a great  part  of  it  3 but  he 
was  repulsed  from  the  walls  of  Rouen,  by  the  gallant- 
ry of  the  carl  of  Leicester.  Prince  John  was  not  more 
successful  in  his  attempt  in  England  : though  he  made 
himself  master  of  the  castles  of  Windsor  and  Wal- 
lingford, yet  finding  the  barons  every  where  averse  to 
his  cause,  he  was  obliged  to  retire  again  to  France. 

In  the  mean  time,  Richard,  in  Germany,  suffered 
every  kind  of  insult  and  indignity  3 he  was  accused 
by  Henry,  before  the  diet  of  the  empire,  of  making  an 
alliance  with  Tancred,  the  usurper  of  Sicily  3 of  afi 


J 


62  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

fronting  the  duke  of  Austria  before  Acre  ; of  obstruct 
ing  the  progress  of  the  Christian  arms  by  his  quar- 
rels with  the  king  of  France  5 and  of  concluding  z 
truce  with  Saladin,  and  leaving  Jerusalem  in  the 
hands  of  the  Saracen  emperor.  Richard,  after  deign- 
ing to  apologize  for  his  conduct,  burst  out  into  indig- 
nation at  the  cruel  treatment  which  he  had  met  with  $ 
and  the  emperor  finding  it  impracticable  to  detain  the 
king  of  England  longer  in  captivity,  agreed  to  restore 
him  to  his  freedom  for  the  sum  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  marks,  or  about  three  hundred  thousand 
pounds  of  our  present  money. 

The  joy  of  the  English  was  extreme  on  the  appear- 
ance of  their  monarch,  wfro  was  crowned  anew  at 
Winchester,  as.  if  to  wipe  off  the  ignominy  of  cap- 
tivity. As  soon  as  Philip  heard  of  the  king's  deliver- 
ance, he  wrote  to  his  confederate  John  in  these 
terms:  l<  Take  care  of  yourself — the  devil  is  broken 
i loose."  John,  howevet,  anxious  to  disengage  himself 

from  an  associate  whose  fortunes  seemed  declining, 

I threw  himself  at  his  brother's  feet,  and  implored  his 

mercy.  u 1 forgive  you,"  said  the  king,  “ and  hope  1 
shall  as  easily  forget  your  injuries,  as  you  will  my 
pardon." 

The  king  of  France  was  the  great  object  of  Rich- 
ard's resentment  and  animosity  ; and  during  five  years 
after  the  king's  return,  the  two  sovereigns  were  en- 
gaged in  a series  of  faithless  negotiations  and  desulto- 
ry welfare.  The  cardinal  of  St.  Mary,  the  pope's  le-  # 
gate,  was  employed  in  changing  a truce  into  a durable 
peace,  when  the  death  of  Richard  put  an  end  to  the 
negotiation. 

Vidomer,  viscount  of  Limoges,  having  found  a treas 
ure,  it  was  clairfted  by  Richard,  as  his  superior  lord  \ 
and  that  nobleman  was  besieged  by  the  king  in  the  cas- 
tle of  Chalons.  As  Richard  approached  to  survey  the 
works,  one  Bertrand  de  Gourdon,  an  archer,  pierced 
his  shoulder  with  an  arrow.  The  wound  was  not  dan- 
gerous ; but  the  unskilfulness  of  the  surgeon  rendered 
it  mortal.  The  king,  sensible  that  his  end  was  ap- 
proaching, sent  for  Gourdon,  and  said,  “ Wretch,  what 
nave  I ever  done  to  you,  to  induce  you  to  seek  my 
life  ?"  The  prisoner  coolly  replied,  “ You  killed  with 
your  own  hands  mv  father  and  my  two  brothers  : I am 


RICHARD 


65 


now  in  your  power,  and  you  may  take  revenge,  by  in 
dieting  on  me  the  most  severe  torments  ; but  I shall 
endure  them  with  pleasure,  provided  I can  tnink  that 
I have  been  so  happy  as  to  rid  the  world  from  such  a 
nuisance.”  The  mind  of  Richard  was  softened  by 
the  near  approach  of  death,  and  the  magnanimity  of 
Gouidon  : he  ordered  him  to  be  set  at  liberty,  and  a 
sum  of  money  to  be  given  him  ; but  Marcadee,  one 
of  Richard’s  generals,  privately  seizing  the  unhappy 
man,  flayed  him  alive,  and  then  hanged  him. 

Thus  died  Richard,  in  the  tenth  year  of  his  reign, 
and  the  forty-second  of  his  age.  The  most  shining 
parts  of  his  character  are  his  military  talents,  and  his 
personal  courage,  which  gained  him  the  appellation 
of  “ Coeur  de  Lion,”  or  11  the  Lion-Carted.”  He  was, 
however,  a passionate  lover  of  poet^ ; and  some  po- 
etical works  of  his  composition  are  still  extant.  He 
left  behind  him  no  issue  ; and  by  his  last  will,  he  de- 
clared his  brother  John  heir  to  all  his  dominions, 
though  by  a formal  deed  before  he  embarked  for  the 
Holy  Land,  he  had  named  as  his  successor,  his  neph- 
ew Arthur,  duke  of  Brittany,  the  son  of  Geoffrey, 
elder  brother  of  John,  who  was  now  only  twelve  years 
of  age. 

The  barons  of  the  transmarine  provinces,  Anjou, 
liqm  Maine,  and  Touraine,  declared  in  favour  of 
‘ J Arthur,  and  applied  for  assistance  to  the  French 
monarch.  Philip,  who  desired  only  an  occasion  to 
embarrass  John,  and  to  dismember  his  dominions,  em- 
braced the  cause  of  the  young  duke  of  Brittany.  John, 
after  being  acknowledged  in  Normandy  and  England, 
returned  to  France,  in  order  to  conduct  the  war 
against  Philip.  Nothing  enabled  the  king  to  bring 
matters  to  a happy  issue  so  much  as  the  selfish  and 
intriguing  character  of  the  French  monarch.  Con- 
stantia,  the  mother  of  Arthur,  was  jealous  that  Philip 
intended  to  usurp  the  entire  dominion  of  the  provin- 
ces which  had  declared  for  her  son.  She,  therefore, 
secretly  carried  off  her  son  from  Paris,  put  him  into 
the  hands  of  b s uncle,  restored  the  provinces  which 
had  adhered  to  him,  and  made  him  do  homage  for  the 
duchy  of  Brittany,  which  was  regarded  as  a fief  of 
Normandy  As  Philip,  after  this  incident,  saw  that 
he  could  not  carry  on  the  war  with  success,  he  enter 


64 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


ed  into  a treaty  with  John,  in  which  the  limits  of  theif 
teiritories  were  adjusted  5 and,  to  render  their  union 
more  permanent,  the  king  of  England  gave  his  niece, 
Blanche  of  Castile,  in  marriage  to  Prince  Louis,  Phil 
ip;s  eldest  son,  and  with  her  the  baronies  of  Issoudun 
and  Graijjai,  and  other  fiefs  in  Berri. 

Thus  secure  as  he  imagined,  on  the  side  of  France, 
12001  indulged  his  passion  for  Isabella,  the 

-*  daughter  of  the  count  of  Angouleme,  a lady 
with  whom  he  had  become  much  enamoured.  Though 
nis  queen,  the  heiress  of  the  family  of  Gloucester,  was 
still  alive,  and  Isabella  was  betrothed  to  the  count  of 
Marche,  the  passion  of  the  king  overcame  every  ob- 
stacle 3 he  persuaded  the  count  of  Angouleme  to  car- 
ry off  his  daughter  from  her  husband  3 and  having  pro- 
cured a divorc^from  his  wife,  he  espoused  Isabella, 
regardless  of  the  menaces  of  the  pope,  and  of  the  re- 
sentment of  the  injured  count. . 

John  had  not  the  art  of  attaching  his  barons  either 
12011  ky  affection  or  by  fear.  The  count  of  Marche 
J taking  advantage  of  the  general  discontent 
against  him,  excited  commotions  in  Poictou  and  Nor- 
mandy, and  obliged  the  king  to  have  recourse  to  arms 
in  order  to  suppress  the  insurrection  of  his  vassals. 
He  summoned  together  the  barons  of  England,  and  re  • 
quired  them  to  pass  the  sea  under  his  standard,  and  to 
quell  the  rebels  ; but  he  found  that  he  possessed  as 
little  authority  in  that  kingdom  as  in  his  transmarine 
provinces.  The  English  barons  unanimously  replied, 
that  they  would  not  attend  him  on  this  expedition,  un- 
less he  would  promise  to  restore  and  preserve  their 
privileges  ; but  John,  by  menaces,  engaged  many  of 
them  to  follow  him  into  Normandy,  and  obliged  the 
rest  to  pay  the  price  of  their  exemption  from  service. 
The  force  which  the  king  carried  with  him,  and  that 
which  joined  him  in  Normandy,  rendered  him  greatly 
superior  to  the  malcontents  3 but,  elated  with  his  su- 
periority, he  advanced  claims  which  gave  an  universal 
alarm  to  his  vassals,  and  diffused  still  wider  the  gener- 
al discontent.  The  king  of  France,  to  whom  the  com- 
plainants appealed  for  redress,  interposed  in  behalf  of 
the  French  barons. 

Whilst  matters  were  thus  circumstanced,  the  duke 
of  Brittany,  who  was  rising  to  man’s  estate,  joined  the 


JOHN 


05 


king  of  France  and  the  revolted  nobles.  Impatient  of 
military  renown  the  young  prince  had  entered  Poic- 
tou  with  a small  army,  and  had  invested  Mirabeau,  in 
which  was  his  grandmother,  queen  Eleanor,  when 
John  attacked  his  camp,  dispersed  his  army,  and  took 
him  prisoner.  The  king  represented  to  Arthur  the  fol- 
ly of  his  pretensions  and  required  him  to  renounce 
the  French  alliance  ; but  the  brave,  though  imprudent 
youth,  maintained  the  justice  of  his  cause,  and  assert- 
ed his  claim  not  only  to  the  French  provinces,  but  to 
the  crown  of  England.  John,  sensible,  from  these 
symptoms  of  spirit,  that  the  young  prince  might  here- 
after prove  a dangerous  rival,  ordered  him  to  be  de 
spatched;  but  when  he  found  that  his  commands  had 
not  been  obeyed,  the  cruel  tyrant  stabbed  him  with  his 
own  hands,  and  fastening  a stone  to  the  dead  body, 
threw  it  into  the  Seine. 

All  men  were  struck  with  horror  at  this  inhuman 
deed;  and  from  that  moment  the  king,  who  was  now 
detested  by  his  subjects,  retained  a very  precarious 
authority  over  both  the  people  and  the  barons  in  his 
dominions.  As  John  had  got  into  his  power  his  niece 
Eleanor,  sister  to  Arthur,  the  Bretons  chose  for  thei. 
sovereign  Alice,  a younger  daughter  of  Constantia  by 
a second  marriage.  They  also  solicited  the  assistance 
of  Philip,  who  received  their  application  with  pleas- 
ure, summoned  John  to  a trial,  and  on  his  non-appear- 
ance, declared  him  to  have  forfeited  to  his  superior 
lord  all  his  fiefs  in  France. 

The  king  of  France  perceived  the  opportunity  fa- 
vourable for  expelling  the  English,  or  rather  the  Eng- 
lish king,  and  of  re-annexing  to  the  French  crown  so 
many  considerable  appendages,  of  which,  during  sev- 
eral ages,  it  had  been  dismembered.  Philip  extended 
his  conquests  along  the  banks  of  the  Loire,  while 
John  consumed  his  hours  at  Rouen  in  pastimes  and 
amusements.  “Let  the  French  go  on,”  said  he,  “I 
will  retake  in  a day  what  it  has  cost  them  years  to  ac- 
quire.” Yet,  instead  of  fulfilling  this  vaunt,  he  mean- 
ly applied  to  the  pope,  Innocent  III.,  who  ordered 
Philip  to  stop  the  progress  of  his  arms,  and  to  con 
elude  a peace  with  the  king  of  England.  Philip,  how 
ever,  instead  of  obeying  the  orders  of  the  pope,  laid 
siege  to  Chateau  Gaillard,  the  most  considerable  for- 

VOL  I.  5 


t 


66  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

tress  on  the  frontiers  of  Normandy,  which  was  taken 
by  a sudden  assault  in  the  night.  When  the  bulwark 
of  Normandy  was  once  subdued,  the  whole  province 
was  open  to  the  inroads  of  Philip.  The  French  king 
proceeded  to  invest  Rouen,  the  inhabitants  of  which 
demanded  thirty  days  to  advertise  their  prince  of  their 
danger.  Upon  the  expiration  of  that  term  they  open 
ed  their  gates  3 and  Philip,  leading  his  victorious  ar- 
my into  the  western  provinces,  soon  reduced  Anjou, 
Maine,  Touraine,  and  part  of  Poictou.  John  made  a 
feeble  attempt  to  recover  his  transmarine  dominions, 
by  landing  a considerable  army  at  Rochelle  3 but  the 
approach  of  Philip  threw  him  into  a panic,  and  he 
deserted  his  troops,  and  returned  to  England  with 
shame  and  disgrace.  The  mediation  of  the  pope  pro- 
cured him  a truce  for  two  years  with  the  French 
monarch  3 but  almost  all  the  transmarine  provinces 
were  wrested  from  him  5 and  the  church,  which,  at 
that  time,  declined  not.  a contest  with  the  most  pow 
erful  monarchs,  took  advantage  of  John’s  imbecility. 

Innocent  the  Third,  a prelate  of  a lofty  and  enter- 
12071  Pris*no  genius,  attempted  to  convert  thd  superi- 
-*  ority  yielded  him  by  all  the  European  princes 
into  a real  dominion  over  them.  A dispute  respect- 
ing an  election  to  the  see  of  Canterbury,  afforded  In- 
nocent an  opportunity  of  claiming  a right,  to  nomin- 
ate the  primate  of  England.  Availing  himself  of  this 
opportunity,  he  commanded  the  monks  or  canons  of 
Christ-church,  who  had  hitherto  possessed  that  rm- 
portant  privilege,  to  choose,  on  pain  of  excommuni- 
cation, cardinal  Langton,  an  Englishman  by  birth,  but 
connected  by  interest  and  attachment  to  the  see  of 
Rome.  In  vain  the  monks  represented,  that  an  elec- 
tion, without  a previous  writ  from  the  king,  would  be 
highly  irregular  3 and  that  they  were  merely  agents  for 
another  person,  whose  right  they  could  not  abandon. 
One  only  persevered  in  his  opposition  3 the  rest,  over- 
come by  the  menaces  and  authority  of  Ihe  pope, 
complied  with  his  mandate. 

John  was  inflamed  with  the  utmost  rage  when  he 
heard  of  this  interference  of  the  couit  of  Rome  ; ana 
he  immediately  vented  his  passion  on  the  monks  cl 
Christ-church,  whom  he  expelled  the  monastery 
When  it  'vas  intimated  to  him  that  if  he  oersevered 


* 


JOHN.  67 

to  his  disobedience,  the  sovereign  pontiff  would  be 
•bliged  to  lay  the  kingdom  under  an  interdict,  the 
king  burst  out  into  violent  invectives,  and  swore  if 
the  pope  attempted  such  a measure,  that  he  would 
send  to  him  all  the  bishops  and  clergy  in  England,  and 
confiscate  all  their  estates.  These  sallies  of  passion, 
however,  were  disregarded  by  the  Roman  pontiff,  who, 
sensible  that  John  had  lost  the  confidence  of  the  peo- 
ple, at  length  fulminated  the  sentence  of  interdict. 

The  execution  of  this  sentence  was  calculated  to 
strike  with  awe  the  minds  of  a superstitious  people. 
The  nation  was  of  a sudden  deprived  of  all  exterior 
exercise  of  its  religion  ; the  altars  were  despoiled  of 
their  ornaments;  the  dead  were  not  interred  in  con- 
secrated ground,  but  were  thrown  into  ditches,  or 
buried  in  common  fields  ; marriage  was  solemnized 
in  the  church-yards  ; and  every  circumstance  carried 
symptoms  of  the  most  immediate  apprehension  of  di- 
vine vengeance. 

The  king,  that  he  might  oppose  his  temporal  tc 
their  spiritual  terrors,  confiscated  the  estates  of  all 
the  clergy  who  obeyed  the  interdict;  and  treated  with 
the  utmost  rigour  the  adherents  of  the  church  of 
Rome.  Though  some  of  the  clergy,  from  the  dread 
of  punishment,  obeyed  the  orders  of  John,  and  cele 
brated  divine  service,  yet  they  complied  with  the  ut- 
most reluctance,  and  were  regarded,  both  by  them- 
selves and  the  people,  as  men  who  betrayed  their 
principles,  and  sacrificed  their  conscience  to  their 
fears  or  their  interest. 

As  the  interdict  had  not  reduced  the  king  to  obedi- 
12091  ence>  an^  People  had  not  risen  in  rebellion, 
-*  the  court  of  Rome  determined  to  proceed  to 
excommunication.  John  was  now  alarmed  at  his  dan- 
gerous situation.  In  a conference  at  Dover,  he  of- 
fered to  acknowledge  Langton  as  primate,  to  submit 
to  the  pope,  and  to  restore  th«e  exiled  clergy;  but 
Langton  demanding  the  full  reparation  for  the  rents 
of  their  confiscated  estates,  the  king  broke  off  the 
conference.  Innocent  immediately  absolved  John’s 
subjects  from  their  oaths  of  fidelity  and  allegiance  ; 
declared  every  one  excommunicated  who  held  any  in- 
tercourse with  him  ; deposed'  him  from  his  throne  ; and 
offered  the  crown  of  England  to  the  king  of  France 


53 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND, 


Philip  was  seduced  by  interest  to  accept  this  off*! 
of  the  pontiff'.  He  levied  a great  army,  and  collected 
in  the  ports  of  Normandy  and  Picardy  a fleet  of  one 
thousand  seven  hundred  vessels.  To  oppose  him, 
John  assembled  at  Dover,  an  army  of  sixty  thousand 
men  ; a force  sufficient,  had  they  been  animated  with 
zeal  : but  the  minds  of  the  common  people  were  im- 
pressed with  superstition  ; the  barons  were  all  dis 
gusted  with  the  tyranny  of  the  king  ; and  the  inca 
pacity  and  cowardice  of  John  augmented  his  difficul 
ties.  The  obstinacy  of  the  humbled  monarch  at 
length  gave  way,  when  Pandolf,  the  pope  s legate, 
represented  to  him  the  certainty  of  his  ruin,  from  the 
disaffection  of  his  subjects,  and  the  mighty  armament 
of  France.  John  now  agreed  to  all  the  conditions 
which  Pandolf  was  pleased  to  impose.  He  passed  a 
charter,  in  which  he  declared  he  had,  for  the  remis- 
sion of  his  own  sins,  and  those  of  his  family,  resign- 
ed England  and  Ireland  to  God,  to  St.  Peter  ,md  St. 
Paul,  and  to  pope  Innocent  and  his  successors  in  the 
apostolic  chair  ; agreeing  to  hold  those  dominions  as 
feudatories  of  the  church  of  Rome,  by  the  annual 
payment  of  a thousand  marks.  He  did  l^omage  to  Pan- 
dolf in  the  most  abject  manner : he  fell  on  his  knees 
before  the  legate,  who  was  seated  on  a throne  ; swore 
fealty  to  the  pope  ; and  paid  part  of  the  money  which 
he  owed  for  his  kingdom  as  the  patrimony  of  St.  Pe- 
ter ; whilst  the  legate,  elated  by  the  triumph  of  sa- 
cerdotal power,  trampled  on  the  money  which  was 
laid  at  his  feet,  as  an  earnest  of  the  subjection  of  the 
kingdom. 

YVhen  Pandolf  returned  to  France,  he  informed 
Philip,  that  John  had  returned  to  obedience  under  the 
apostolic  see,  and  even  consented  to  do  homage  to 
the  pope  for  his  dominions  ; and  that,  as  his  king- 
dom now  formed  a part  of  St.  Peter's  patrimony,  il 
would  be  impious  in  any  Christian  prince  to  attack 
him.  Philip  was  enraged  on  receiving  this  intelli- 
gence, and  threatened  to  execute  his  enterprise  against 
England,  notwithstanding  the  inhibitions  and  menae  s 
of  the  legate  ; but  the  English  fleet,  under  the  com- 
mand of  the  earl  of  Salisbury,  the  king's  natural  broth- 
er, attacked  the  French  in  their  harbours,  and  by  the 
destruction  of  the  greater  part  of  their  armament, 
compelled  Philip  to  abandon  the  enterprise. 


JOHN. 


6$ 


The  introduction  of  the  feudal  system  into  England 
by  William  the  conqueror,  had  infringed  on  the  liber- 
ties enjoyed  by  the  Anglo-Saxons,  and  had  reduced 
the  people  to  a state  of  vassalage,  and  in  some  re- 
spects of  real  slavery,  to  the  king  or  barons.  The 
necessity  also  of  entrusting  great  power  in  the  hands 
of  a prince,  who  was  to  maintain  military  dominion 
over  a vanquished  nation,  had  engaged  the  Norman 
barons  to  submit  to  a more  severe  and  absolute  prerog- 
ative, than  that  to  which  men  of  their  rank  were  com- 
monly subjected  j and  England,  during  a course  of  an 
hundred  and  fifty  years,  was  governed  by  an  authority 
unknown,  in  the  same  degree,  to  all  the  kingdoms 
founded  by  the  northern  conquerors.  Henry  the  first, 
that  he  might  allure  the  people  to  exclude  his  elder 
brother  Robert,  had  granted  them  a charter  favourable 
in  many  particulars  to  their  liberties  3 Stephen  had 
renewed  the  grant  3 Honry  the  second  had  confirmed 
it  5 but  the  concessions  of  all  these  princes  had  re- 
mained a dead  letter  3 when  John,  equally  odious  and 
contemptible,  both  in  public  and  private  life,  provok- 
ed the  people  to  form  a general  confederacy,  and  to 
demand  a restqration  of  their  privileges. 

Nothing  forwarded  this  confederacy  so  much  as  the 
concurrence  of  Langton,  archbishop  of  Canterbury: 
a man  whose  memory,  though  he  was  obtruded  on 
the  nation  by  a palpable  encroachment  of  the  see  of 
Rome,  ought  always  to  be  respected  by  the  English. 
This  prelate  formed  the  plan  of  reforming  the  govern- 
ment, and  paved  the  way  for  it,  by  inserting  a clause 
in  the  oath  which  he  administered  to  the  king,  before 
he  would  absolve  him  from  excommunication,  11  that 
ne  would  re-establish  the  good  laws  of  his  pedeces- 
sors,  and  abolish  the  wicked  ones,  and  maintain  jus- 
tice and  right  in  all  his  dominions. Soon  after  he 
showed  to  some  of  the  barons  a copy  of  the  charter 
of  Henry  the  first,  which,  he  said,  he  had  found  in  a 
monastery,  and  exhorted  them  to  insist  on  its  renewal. 
The  barons  swore  they  would  lose  their  lives  sooner 
than  desist  from  so  reasonable  a demand.  The  confed- 
eracy now  spread  wider  3 and  a more  numerous  meet 
ing  was  summoned  by  Langton  at  St.  Edmund7s-Bury, 
under  colour  of  devotion.  The  barons,  inflamed  by 
the  eloquence  of  the  prelate,  and  incited  by  the  sense 


70 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


of  their  own  wrongs,  took  an  oath  before  the  altar,  to 
adhere  to  each  other,  and  to  make  endless  war  on  the 
king,  till  he  should  grant  their  demands.  They  agreed 
that  they  would  prefer  in  a body  their  common  peti- 
tion 5 and  that,  in  the  mean  time,  they  would  enlist 
men  and  purchase  arms,  and  supply  their  castles  with 
necessary  provisions. 

On  a day  appointed,  the  barons  appeared  in  London, 
12151  ant*  re(lu'red  the  king,  in  consequence  of  his 
-*  oath  before  the  primate,  as  well  as  in  deference 
to  their  just  rights,  to  renew  the  charter  of  Henry, 
and  confirm  the  laws  of  St.  Edward.  The  king  alarm- 
ed at  their  zeal  and  unanimity,  as  well  as  their  pow- 
er, asked  for  a delay,  which  was  granted.  The  inter- 
val was  employed  by  John  in  appealing  to  the  pope 
against  the  violence  of  the  barons.  Innocent,  who 
foresaw  that  if  the  administration  should  fall  into  the 
hands  of  a high-sp'rited  nobility,  they  would  vindicate 
the  liberty  and  independence  of  the  nation,  exhorted 
the  prelates  to  employ  their  good  offices  in  putting  an 
end  to  civil  discord,  expressed  his  disapprobation  of 
the  conduct  of  the  barons,  and  advised  the  king  to 
grant  such  demands  as  should  appear  reasonable. 

Though  the  barons  perceived  that  the  pope  was  in- 
imical to  their  interests,  yet  they  1 ad  advanced  too 
far  to  recede  from  their  pretensions;  and  they  fore- 
saw. that  the  thunders  of  Rome,  when  not  seconded 
by  the  efforts  of  the  English  ecclesiastics,  would  avail 
little  against  them.  At  the  time,  therefore,  when 
they  were  to  expect  the  king’s  answer  to  their  peti- 
tion, they  met  at  Stamford,  and  assembled  their  for- 
ces, consisting  of  about  two  thousand  knights,  besides 
retainers  and  inferior  persons  without  number.  Elat- 
ed with  their  power,  they  advanced  in  a body  to  Brack- 
ley,  within  twenty  miles  of  Oxford,  the  place  where 
the  court  then  resided ; and  there  they  received  a 
message  from  the  king,  desiring  to  know  what  those 
liberties  were  which  they  so  zealously  required  from 
their  sovereign.  They  delivered  to  the  messengers 
a schedule  containing  the  chief  articles  of  their  de- 
mands ; which  was  no  sooner  shown  to  John,  than  he 
burst  into  a furious  passion,  swearing  he  would  never 
grant  such  privileges  as  must  reduce  himself  to  slavery 

The  confederated  nobles,  informed  of  his  answer 


JOHN. 


71 


proceeded  without  farther  ceremony  to  levy  war  upon 
the  king.  They  besieged  the  castle  of  Northampton, 
were  admitted  into  that  of  Bedford,  occupied  Ware, 
and  entered  London  without  opposition.  They  laid 
waste  the  royal  parks  and  palaces  ; and  all  the  barons, 
who  had  hitherto  appeared  to  support  the  king,  open- 
ly joined  a cause  which  they  had  secretly  favoured. 
So  universal  was  the  defection,  that  the  king  was  left 
at  Odiham,  in  Hampshire,  with  a retinue  of  only  sev- 
en knights  j and  after  trying  several  expedients,  and 
offering  to  refer  all  difference  to  the  pope,  he  found 
himself  at  last  obliged  to  yield  without  reserve. 

A conference  between  the  king  and  the  barons  was 
held  at  Runnymcde,  between  Windsor  and  Staines  3 
a place  which  has  ever  since  been  celebrated,  on  ac- 
count of  that  great  event.  After  a debate  of  a few 
days,  the  king,  with  a faedity  rather  suspicious,  sign- 
June  J9  > e(*  anc*  sealed  the  famous  deed  called  mag 
> NA  CHARTA,  or  the  GREAT  CHARTER,  which 
^ either  granted  or  secured  very  important 
liberties  to  the  clergy,  the  barons,  and  the  people. 
The  articles  of  this  charter  contain  such  mitigations 
and  explanations  of  the  feudal  law  as  are  reasonable 
and  equitable  ; and  also  involve  all  the  chief  outlines 
of  a legal  government,  providing  for  the  equal  distri- 
bution of  justice  and  the  free  enjoyment  of  property. 

The  barons  obliged  the  king  to  agree  that  London 
should  remain  in  their  hands,  and  the  Towner  be  con- 
signed to  the  custody  of  the  primate,  till  the  execu- 
tion of  the  charter.  John  also  allowed  the  confede- 
rates to  choose  from  their  own  body  twenty-five  mem- 
bers, to  whose  authority  no  limits  were  prescribed 
either  in  extent  or  duration.  All  men  throughou 
the  kingdom  were  obliged,  under  the  penalty  of  con- 
fiscation, to  swear  obedience  to  the  twenty-five  bar- 
ons 5 and  the  freeholders  of  each  county  were  to 
choose  twelve  knights,  who  should  make  reports  of 
such  evil  customs  as  requireu  redress,  conformably  ta 
the  tenor  of  the  great  charter. 

John  apparently  submitted  to  all  these  regulations, 
however  injurious  to  majesty  3 but  he  only  awaited  a 
proper  opportunity  for  annulling  his  concessions.  He 
retired  to  the  Isle  of  Wight,  where  he  meditated  the 
most  fata)  vengeance  against  his  enemies.  He  se 


72  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

cretly  sent  his  emissaries  to  enlist  foreign  troops,  and 
to  invite  the  rapacious  Brabancons  into  his  service  j 
and  he  despatched  a messenger  to  Rome,  to  complain, 
before  that  tribunal,  of  the  violence  which  had  been  | 
imposed  upon  him.  Innocent,  considering  himself  as 
feudal  lord  of  the  kingdom,  issued  a bull,  by  which  he 
annulled  the  whole  charter,  as  unjust  in  itself,  and 
derogatory  to  the  dignity  of  the  apostolic  see.  He 
prohibited  the  barons  from  exacting  the  observance  of 
\t;  he  prohibited  the  king  from  paying  any  regard  to 
it  5 and  he  pronounced  a general  sentence  of  excom- 
munication against  every  one  who  should  persevere  in 
maintaining  such  iniquitous  proceedings. 

As  the  foreign  forces  arrived  along  with  this  bull, 
the  king,  under  the  sanction  of  the  pope's  decree,* 
threw  off  the  mask.  The  barons,  enticed  into  a fatal 
security,  had  taken  no  rational  measures  for  re-assem- 
bling their  armies.  The  king  was  master  of  the  field: 
his  rapacious  mercenaries  were  let  loose  against  the 
estates,  the  tenants,  the  houses,  and  parks  of  the  no- 
bility; nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  the  flames  of  vil- 
lages, and  castles  reduced  to  ashes,  the  consternation 
and  misery  of  the  inhabitants,  and  the  tortures  exer- 
cised by  the  soldiers  to  cause  them  to  reveal  their 
concealed  treasures.  The  king,  marching  through  the 
whole  extent  of  England,  from  Dover  to  Berwick,  laid 
the  provinces  waste  on  each  side  of  him,  and  consid- 
ered every  part  of  the  country,  which  was  not  his  im- 
mediate property,  as  hostile,  and  the  object  of  military 
execution. 

The  barons,  reduced  to  this  desperate  extremity, 
employed  a remedy  no  less  desperate.  They 
-»  applied  to  the  court  of  France,  and  offered  to 
acknowledge  Lewis,  the  eldest  son  of  Philip,  as  their 
sovereign,  provided  he  would  protect  them  from  the 
violence  of  the  tyrant.  The  prospect  of  such  a prize 
rendered  Philip  regardless  of  the  menaces  of  the 
court  of  Rome,  which  threatened  him.  with  excommu- 
nication if  he  attacked  a prince  under  the  protection 
of  the  holy  see  j but  he  refused  to  intrust  his  son  and 
heir  to  the  caprice  of  the  English,  unless  they  would 

* To  the  honour  of  Langton  the  primate,  he  refused  to  pulr 
Ssh  the  papal  mandate 


JOHN. 


73 


deliver  to  him  twenty-five  of  their  most  illustrious 
nobles,  as  hostages  lor  their  fidelity  ; and  having  ob- 
tained this  security,  he  sent  over  Lewis  with  a numer- 
ous army. 

In  consequence  of  that  young  prince's  appearance 
in  England,  John’s  foreign  troops,  being  mostly  levied 
in  Flander^,  and  other  provinces  of  France,  refused  to 
serve  against  the  heir  of  their  monarchy.  Many  con- 
siderable noblemen  deserted  John’s  party  ; his  castles 
fell  daily  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy  ; and  Dover  was 
the  only  place  which  resisted  the  progress  of  Lewis. 
But  the  union  between  the  English  and  French  was 
of  short  duration  ; the  preference  of  Lewis  to  the  lat- 
ter soon  excited  the  jealousy  of  the  former;  and  the 
French  began  to  apprehend  a sudden  reverse  of  for 
tune.  The  King  was  assembling  a considerable  army, 
with  an  intention  of  fighting  one  great  battle  for  his 
crown ; but  passing  from  Lynne  to  Lincolnshire,  his 
road  lay  along  the  sea-shore,  which  was  overflowed  at 
high-water,  and  not  choosing  the  proper  time  for  his 
journey,  he  lost  in  the  inundation  all  his  carriages, 
treasure,  baggage,  and  regalia.  The  affliction  for  this 
disaster,  and  vexation  from  the  distracted  state  of  his 
affairs,  increased  an  indisposition  under  which  he  then 
laboured:  and  though  he  reached  the  castle  of  New- 
ark, he  soon  after  died,  in  the  forty-ninth  year  of  his 
age,  and  the  eighteenth  of  his  reign.  He  left  two 
legitimate  sons,  Henry  and  Richard,  the  eldest  of 
whom  was  only  nine  years  old,  and  the  other  seven. 

The  character  of  John  is  a complication  of  vices 
equally  mean  and  odious;  cowardice,  levity,  licen-. 
tiousness,  ingratitude,  treachery,  tyranny,  and  cruelty. 
It  is  hard  to  say  whether  his  conduct  to  his  father,  his 
brother,  his  nephew,  or  his  subjects,  was  most  culpa- 
ble. By  his  misconduct  he  lost  the  flourishing  prov- 
inces of  France,  the  ancient  patrimony  of  his  family ; 
he  subjected  his  kingdom  to  a shameful  vassalage, 
under  the  see  of  Rome;  and  he  died  when  in  danger 
of  being  totally  expelled  by  a fore’gn  power,  and  of 
either  ending  his  life  in  prison,  or  in  seeking  shelter 
is  a fugitive  from  the  pursuit  of  his  enemies. 


74  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

CHAPTER  V. 

7 'he  reigns  of  Henry  III.,  Edward  1.  and  Ed 
ward  II. 


Fortunately  for  Henry  III.,  as  well  as  for  the 
I2in  nat‘on7  earl  °f  Pembroke  was,  at  the  time  of 
-*  John’s  death,  mareschal  of  England,  and  at  the 
head  of  the  armies.  This  nobleman,  who  had  main- 
tained his  loyalty  to  John,  was  chosen  protector  of  the 
realm,  during  the  king’s  minority,  by  a general  coun- 
cil of  the  barons.  That  he  might  reconcile  all  men 
to  the  government  of  his  pupil,  he  made  him  grant  a 
new  charter  of  liberties,  which,  though  mostly  similar 
to  that  extorted  from  John,  contained  some  altera- 
tions. This  was  followed  by  a charter  of  forests ; 
which  declared  offences  committed  in  the  king’s  for- 
ests no  longer  capital,  but  only  punishable  by  fine  and 
imprisonment. 

These  charters  diffused  so  much  satisfaction  as 
evidently  to  affect  the  cause  of  Lewis.  The  distrust 
which  the  French  prince  manifested  of  the  fidelity  of 
the  English  encouraged  the  general  propensitytowards 
the  king.  A large  detachment  of  the  French  was 
routed  near  Lincoln  3 and  their  fleet  suffered  a consid- 
erable defeat  off  the  coast  of  Kent.  After  these, 
events,  the  malcontent  barons  hastened  by  an  early 
submission  to  prevent  those  attainders  to  which  they 
were  exposed  on  account  of  their  rebellion  5 and 
Lewis,  whose  cause  was  now  totally  desperate,  read- 
ily consented  to  conclude  a peace  on  honourable  con- 
ditions, promising  to  evacuate  the  kingdom,  and  only 
stipulating,  in  return,  an  indemnity  to  his  adherents, 
and  a restitution  of  their  honours  and  fortunes.  Thus 
was  happily  ended  a civil  war,  which  had  threatened 
the  kingdom  with  the  most  fatal  consequences. 

The  earl  of  Pembroke  did  not  long  survive  the  pa 
cification,  which  had  been  chiefly  owing  to  his  wis- 
dom and  valour 5 and  he  was  succeeded  in  the  govern- 
ment by  Peter  des  Roches,  bishop  of  Winchester,  and 
Hubert  de  Burgh,  the  justiciary.  The  counsels  of  the 
latter  were  chiefly  followed  ; and  had  he  possessed 
equal  influence  with  Pembroke,  he  seemed  to  be  eve- 
ry way  worthy  of  filling  the  place  of  that  virtuous  no- 


HENRY  III. 


75 


bleman.  Rat  the  licentious  and  powerful  barons, 
having  once  broken  the  reins  of  subjection  to  their 
prince,  could  ill  be  restrained  by  laws  under  a minor- 
ity • and  the  people,  no  less  than  the  king,  suffered 
from  their  outrages.  They  retained  by  force  the  royal 
castles  j they  usurped  the  king's  demesnes  3 they  op- 
pressed their  vassals  ; and  they  protected  the  worst 
kind  of  banditti,  in  their  robberies  and  extortions,  in 
defiance  of  legal  government. 

As  Henry  approached  to  man's  estate,  his  character 
.6)0)71  became  every  day  better  known,  and  he  was 
■*  found  incapable  of  maintaining  a proper  author- 
ity over  the  turbulent  barons.  Gentle,  humane,  and 
merciful,  even  to  a fault,  he  seems  to  have  been  steady 
in  nothing  else,  but  to  have  received  every  impression 
from  those  who  surrounded  him.  Without  activity  or 
vigour,  he  was  unfit  to  conduct  war;  without  policy 
or  art,  he  was  ill  calculated  to  maintain  peace.  His 
resentments,  though  hasty  and  violent,  were  not 
dreaded,  while  he  was  found  to  drop  them  with  such 
facility  ; his  friendships  were  little  valued,  because 
they  were  neither  derived  from  choice,  nor  maintain- 
ed with  constancy. 

That  able  and  faithful  minister,  Hubert  de  Burgh, 
was  in  a sudden  fit  of  caprice  dismissed  by  Henry, 
and  exposed  to  the  most  violent  persecutions.  Among 
other  frivolous  crimes  objected  to  him,  he  was  accus- 
ed of  gaining  the  king's  affections  by  enchantments. 
Hubert  was  expelled  the  kingdom,  and  was  again  re- 
ceived into  favour,  and  recovered  a great  share  of  the 
king’s  confidence  ; but  he  never  showed  any  inclina- 
tion to  reinstate  himself  in  power  or  authority. 

Hubert  was  succeeded  in  the  government  of  the 
^0)931  king  and  kingdom  by  Peter,  bishop  of  Winches- 
ter,  a Poictevin  by  birth,  no  less  distinguished 
by  his  arbitrary  principles,  and  violent  conduct,  than 
by  his  courage  and  abilities.  Through  his  advice, 
Henry  invited  over  a great  numbei  of  Poictevins,  and 
other  foreigners,  who,  he  believed,  could  be  more 
safely  trusted  than  the  English.  Every  office  was 
bestowed  on  these  strangers,  who  exhausted  the  reve- 
nues of  the  crown,  and  invaded  the  rights  of  the  peo- 
ple. A combination  of  the  nobles  formed  against  this 
odious  ministry,  was  broken  by  th*  address  cf  Peter 


76  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

the  estates  of  the  more  obnoxious  barons  were  confis- 
cated,  without  a legal  sentence  or  trial  by  their  peers  j 
and  when  the  authority  of  the  Great  Charter  was  ob- 
jected to  the  king,  Henry  was  wont  to  reply,  “ Why 
should  I observe  this  charter,  which  is  neglected  by 
all  my  grandees,  both  prelates  and  nobility  ?”  To 
this  it  was  justly  answered,  “ You  ought,  sir,  to  se‘t 
them  the  example.” 

So  violent  an  administration  as  that  of  the  bishop  of 
Winchester  could  not  be  of  long  duration  3 yet  its  fail 
proceeded  from  the  church,  not  from  the  efforts  of  the 
nobles.  Edmond,  the  primate,  attended  by  many  oth- 
er prelates,  represented  to  the  king  the  pernicious 
measures  of  Peter,  and  required  the  dismission  of  him 
and  his  associates  under  pain  of  excommunication. 
Henry  was  obliged  to  submit  5 but  the  English  were 
not  long  free  from  the  dominion  of  foreigners.  The 
123fl  king,  having  married  Eleanor,  daughter  of  the 
count  of  Provence,  was  surrounded  by  a great 
lumber  of  strangers  from  that  country,  whom  he  en- 
riched by  the  most  arbitrary  exactions  upon  his  sub- 
jects. 

The  foreign  enterprises  of  Henry  were  equally  dis- 
graceful with  his  domestic  government.  In  a war 
with  Louis  IX.,  he  was  stripped  of  what  remained  to 
him  of  Poictou.  H>s  want  of  economy,  and  an  ill- 
judged  liberality,  obliged  him  to  sell  all  his  plate  and 
jewels.  When  this  expedient  was  first  proposed  to 
him,  he  asked,  where  he  should  find  purchasers  1 It 
was  replied,  the  citizens  of  London.  “On  my  word,” 
said  he,  “ these  clowns  who  assume  to  themselves  the 
name  of  barons,  abound  in  every  thing,  while  we  are 
reduced  to  necessities.” 

The  grievances  under  which  the  English  laboured 
from  the  faults  of  the  king,  were  considerably  increas- 
ed by  the  usurpations  and  exactions  of  the  court  of 
Rome.  About  1229,  pope  Honorius  demanded,  and 
obtained,  the  tenth  of  all  ecclesiastical  revenues.  In 
the  year  1240,  Otho  the  legate  wrested  large  sums 
from  the  prelates  and  convents,  and  is  said  to  have 
carried  more  money  out  of  the  kingdom  than  he  left  in 
it.  The  king,  who  relied  on  the  pope  for  the  support 
of  his  tottering  authority,  never  failed  to  countenance 
those  exactions. 


HENRY  III.  7T 

The  successful  revolt  of  the  barons  from  king  John 
ftad  rendered  them  more  sensible  of  their  own  impor 
tance.  The  parliament,  which  seems  to  have  had 
some. authority  in  this  reign,  refused  an  aid,  unless 
Henry  would  promise,  at  the  same  time,  a re- 
J dress  of  civil  and  ecclesiastical  grievances,  and 
'ratify  the  great  charter  in  the  most  solemn  manner. 
To  this  the  king  consented  ; but,  misled  by  his  favour- 
ites, he  soon  resumed  the  same  arbitrary  measures  of 
government. 

The  conduct  of  Henry  afforded  a pretence  to  Simon 
i^rq-j  de  Mountfort,  earl  of  Leicester,  for  attempting 

° J to  wrest  the  sceptre  from  the  feeble  hand  which 
held  it.  This  nobleman  had  espoused  Eleanor,  dow- 
ager to  William  earl  of  Pembroke,  and  sister  to  the 
king.  His  address  gained  him  the  affections  of  all  or- 
ders of  men  5 but  he  lost  the  friendship  of  Henry  from 
the  usual  levity  and  fickleness  of  that  prince.  He 
was  banished  the  court,  recalled,  and  again  disgraced 
by  the  king.  Being  too  great  to  preserve  an  entire 
complaisance  to  Henry’s  humours,  and  to  act  in  sub- 
serviency to  the  minions  of  that  prince,  he  found 
more  advantage  in  cultivating  his  interest  with  the 
public,  and  in  inflaming'the  general  discontents.  He 
filled  every  place  with  complaints  against  the  infringe- 
ment of  the  great  charter  5 and  a quarrel  which  he 
had  with  William  de  Valence,  the  king’s  half-brother, 
and  chief  favourite,  determined  him  to  give  full  scope 
to  his  ambition.  He  secretly  called  a meeting  of  the 
most  considerable  barons,  particularly  Humphrey  de 
Bohun,  high  constable,  Roger  Bigod,  earl  mareschal, 
and  the  earls  of  Warwick  and  Gloucester.  To  them 
he  exaggerated  the  oppressions  exercised  against  the 
low'er  orders  of  the  state,  the  violations  of  the  barons’ 
privileges,  and  the  continual  depredations  made  on  the 
clergy  ; and  he  appealed  to  the  great  charter,  which 
Henry  had  so  often  ratified,  and  which  was  calculated 
to  prevent  the  return  of  those  grieVances.  He  mag- 
nified the  generosity  of  their  ancestors,  who  at  the 
expense  of  their  blood  had  extorted  that  famous  con 
cession  from  the  crown  ; but  he  lamented  their  own 
degeneracy,  who  allowed  so  important  an  advantage 
to  be  wrested  from  them  by  a weak  prince  and  inso- 
lent parasites. 


78  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

These  topics  were  well  suited  to  the  sentiments  of 
the  company,  and  the  barons  embraced  a resolution  of 
redressing  the  public  grievances,  by  taking  into  theif 
own  hands  the  administration  of  government.  Henry 
having  summoned  a parliament,  the  barons  appeared 
in  the  hall  clad  in  complete  armour,  and  with  their 
swords  by  their  sides.  The  king,  struck  with  their 
unusual  appearance,  asked,  whether  they  intended  to 
make  him  their  prisoner  3 Roger  Bigod  replied  in  the 
name  of  the  rest,  “ That  he  was  not  their  prisoner, 
but  their  sovereign  3 but  that,  as  he  had  frequently 
acknowledged  his  past  errors,  and  had  still  allowed 
himself  to  be  carried  into  the  same  path,  he  must  now 
yield  to  more  strict  regulations,  and  confer  authority 
on  those  who  were  able  and  willing  to  redress  the  na- 
tional grievances.”  Henry,  partly  allured  by  the  hope 
of  supply,  partly  intimidated  by  the  union  and  martial 
appearance  of  the  barons,  agreed  to  their  demand, 
and  promised  to  summon  another  parliament  at  Ox- 
ford, in  order  to  digest  the  new  plan  of  government. 

This  parliament,  which,  from  the  confusion  that  at 
tended  its  measures,  was  afterwards  denominated  the 
u mad  parliament, ” chose  twelve  barons,  to  whom 
were  added  twelve  more  from  the  king’s  ministers. 

To  these  twenty-four  unlimited  authority  was  granted 
to  reform  the  state  ; and  as  Leicester  was  at  the  head 
of  this  supreme  council,  to  which  the  legislative  pow- 
er was  in  reality  transferred,  all  their  measures  were 
taken  by  his  influence  and  direction.  They  ordered  .• 

that  four  knights  should  be  chosen  by  each  c#unty, 
who  should  inquire  into  the  grievances  of  the  people, 
and  inform  the  assembly  of  the  state  of  their  particu 
lar  counties  5 that  three  sessions  of  parliament  should 
be  regularly  held  every  year  3 that  a new  sheriff  should 
be  annually  elected  by  the  votes  of  the  freeholders  of. 
each  county  3 that  no  heirs  should  be  committed  to 
the  wardship  of  foreigners,  and  no  castles  intrusted  to 
their  custody  5 and  that  no  new  warrens  or  forests 
should  be  created,  nor  the  revenues  of  any  counties  or 
hundreds  be  let  to  farm. 

The  earl  of  Leicester  and  his  associates,  having  pro- 
ceeded so  far  to  satisfy  the  nation,  instead  of  continu- 
ing in  this  popular  course,  or  granting  the  king  those 
supplies  which  thev  had  promised,  provided  for  the 


HENRY"  III. 


79 


extension  of  their  own  authority.  They  displaced 
all  the  chief  officers  of  the  crown  5 and  advanced 
either  themselves  or  their  own  creatures  in  their 
place.  The  whole  power  of  the  state  being  thus 
transferred  to  them,  they  obliged  every  man  to  swear, 
that  they  would  obey  and  execute  all  the  regulations 
of  the  twenty-four  barons  ; and  they  chose  a commit- 
tee of  twelve  persons,  who,  during  the  intervals  of 
the  cessions,  were  to  possess  the  whole  authority  of 
oarl  i ament. 

But  the  stream  of  popularity  rapidly  turned  against 
them.  Whatever  support  the  barons  might  have  de- 
rived from  the  private  power  of  their  families,  was 
weakened  by  their  intestine  jealousies  and  animosi- 
ties. A violent  enmity  broke  out  between  the  earls  of 
Leicester  and  Gloucester ; the  latter,  more  moderate 
in  his  designs,  was  desirous  of  stopping  or  retarding 
the  usurpations  of  the  barons  ; but  the  former,  enrag- 
ed at  the  opposition  he  met  with  in  his  own  party, 
pretended  to  throw  up  all  concern  in  English  affairs, 
and  retired  into  France.  ■ 

On  the  death  of  the  earl  of  Gloucester,  who,  before 
• or  0-1  his  decease,  had  joined  the  royal  party,  Leices- 
-■  ter  entered  into  a confederacy  with  Llewellyn, 
prince  of  Wales.  Llewellyn  invaded  England  with 
an  army  of  thirty  thousand  men,  but  was  repulsed, 
and  obliged  to  take  shelter  in  the  north  of  Wales. 
The  Welsh  invasion  was  the  signal  for  the  malcon- 
tent barons  to  rise  in  arms.  Leicester  secretly  passed 
over  into  England,  collected  all  the  forces  of  his  par- 
ty, and  commenced  an  open  rebellion.  The  power  of 
Leicester’s  faction  increased  to  such  a height,  that 
the  king,  unable  to  resist  it,  was  obliged  to  seek  an  ac- 
commodation. He  agreed  to  confirm  the  provisions 
of  Oxford,  and  reinstated  the  barons  in  the  sovereign- 
ty of  the  kingdom.  The  latter  summoned  a parlia- 
ment to  meet  at  Westminster,  in  order  to  settle  the 
plan  of  government;  and,  in  that  assembly,  they  pro- 
duced a new  list  of  twenty-four  barons,  whose  authori- 
ty they  insisted  should  continue,  not  only  during  the 
reign  of  the  king,  but  also  during  that  of  prince  Ed- 
ward. 

This  prince,  the  life  and  soul  of  the  royal  party, 
had  been  taken  prisoner  by  Leicester  in  a parley  af 


BO 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Windsor  5 and  that  event  had  chiefly  determined  Hen 
ry  to  submit  to  the  ignominious  conditions  imposed  on 
him  by  the  barons.  Edward,  however,  having  recov- 
ered his  liberty  by  the  treaty,  employed  his  activity 
in  defending  the  prerogatives  of  his  family.  The  num- 
ber of  his  friends,  and  the  clamour  of  the  people  for 
peace,  obliged  the  earl  of  Leicester  to  consent  to  a 
second  negotiation  ; and  it  was  agreed  by  both  sides 
to  submit  their  differences  to  the  arbitration  of  the 
king  of  France. 

This  virtuous  prince  had  never  ceased  to  interpose 
nis  good  offices  between  the  English  factions  3 and  at 
Amiens,  in  the  presence  of  the  states  of  France,  of 
the  king  of  England,  and  of  Peter  de  Montfort,  Lei- 
cester's son,  he  brought  this  great  cause  to  a trial.  He 
annulled  the  provisions  of  Oxford,  restored  to  the 
king  the  possession  of  his  castles,  and  the  nomination 
of  the  great  offices  ; but  he  ordered  that  a general  am- 
nesty should  be  granted  for  all  past  offences,  and  de- 
clared that  his  award  was  in  no  wise  meant  to  dero- 
gate from  the  privileges  and  liberties  which  the  nation 
enjoyed  by  any  former  charters. 

This  equitable  sentence  was  rejected  by  Leicester 
l6,641  an^  confederates>  wh°  determined  to  havt 
-*  recourse  to  arms,  in  which  they  were  assisted 
by  the  city  of  London.  The  king  and  the  prince,  find- 
ing a civil  war  inevitable,  prepared  themselves  for  de- 
fence, and  summoned  to  their  standard  their  military 
vassals  ; while  Leicester,  having  been  reinforced  by  a 
great  body  of  Londoners,  determined  to  stake  the  fate 
of  the  nation  on  a decisive  engagement.  Leicester 
conducted  his  march  with  so  much  skill  and  secrecy, 
that  he  had  nearly  surprised  the  royalists  in  their  quar 
ters  at  Lewes  in  Sussex  3 but  the  vigilance  and  activi 
ty  of  prince  Edward  soon  repaired  this  negligence. 
With  the  van  he  rushed  upon  the  Londoners,  who, 
from  their  ignorance  of  discipline,  and  want  of  expe- 
rience, were  IU  fitted  to  resist  the  ardour  of  Edward 
and  his  martial  companious  : they  were  broken  in  an 
instant,  and  chased  off  the  field  for  four  miles.  But 
when  Edward  returned  from  the  pursuit,  he  was  aston- 
ished to  find  the  ground  covered  with  the  dead  bodies 
of  his  friends,  and  still  more  to  hear  that  his  father, 
and  his  uncle  Richard,  king  of  the  Romans,  had  been 


HENRY  III. 


81 


Defeated  and  taken  prisoners.  In  this  exigency,  the 
gallant  prince  was  obliged  to  submit  to  Leicester’s 
terms,  which  were  laconic  and  severe.  He  stipulated, 
that  Edward,  and  Henry  d’Allmaine,  the  son  of  the 
king  of  the  Romans,  should  surrender  themselves 
pledges  in  lieu  of  the  two  kings  5 that  all  other  priso- 
ners on  both  sides  should  be  released  j and  that  the 
king  of  France  should  name  six  Frenchmen,  who 
should  choose  two  others  of  their  own  country  ; and 
these  two  should  appoint  one  Englishman,  and  that 
these  three  persons  should  be  invested  with  full  pow- 
ers to  make  what  regulations  they  should  deem  neces- 
sary for  the  settlement  of  the  kingdom. 

The  prince  and  young  Henry  accordingly  delivered 
themselves  into  Leicester’s  hands,  who  sent  them  un- 
der a guard  to  Dover  castle  5 but  he  had  no  sooner 
got  the  whole  royal  family  in  his  power,  than  he  open- 
ly violated  every  article  of  the  treaty,  and  acted  as 
sole  master,  and  even  tyrant  of  the  kingdom.  No 
farther  mention  was  made  of  the  reference  to  the 
king  of  France  5 and  Leicester  summoned  a parlia- 
ment, composed  altogether  of  his  own  partisans,  who 
voted  the  royal  power  should  be  exercised  by  nine 
persons  to  be  chosen  and  removed  by  the  majority  of 
three,  Leicester  himself,  the  earl  of  Gloucester,  and 
the  bishop  of  Chichester.  By  this  plan  of  govern- 
ment, the  sceptre  was  really  put  into  Leicester’s 
hands,  as  he  had  the  entire  direction  of  the  bishop 
of  Chichester.  Leicester,  however,  summoned  a new 
parliament  in  London.  Besides  the  barons  of  his  own 
party,  and  several  ecclesiastics,  he  ordered  returns  to 
be  made  of  two  knights  from  each  shire,  and  what  is 
more  remarkable,  of  deputies  rrom  the  boroughs,  an 
order  of  men,  which  in  former  ages  had  always  been 
regarded  as  too  mean  to  enjoy  a place  in  the  national 
T2651  counc^s’  This  period  is  commonly  esteemed 
the  epoch  of  the  house  of  commons  in  Eng- 
land, and  it  is  certainly  the  first  time  that  historians 
speak  of  any  representatives  sent  to  parliament  from 
the  boroughs. 

The  earl  of  Gloucester,  becoming  disgusted  with 
the  arbitrary  conduct  of  Leicester,  retired  for  safety 
to  his  estates  on  the  borders  of  Wales  ; Leicester  fol- 
owed  him  with  an  army  to  Heieford*  and  that  he 

vol.  1 6 


ff 


82  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

might  add  authority  to  his  cause,  he  carried  both  the 
king  \nd  prince  along  with  him.  The  earl  of  Glou 
cester  here  concerted  with  young  Edward  the  manner 
of  that  prince’s  escape.  He  furnished  him  with  a 
swift  horse,  and  appointed  a small  party  to  receive 
the  prince,  and  guard  him  to  a place  of  safety.  Ed- 
ward pretended  to  take  the  air  with  some  of  his 
guards;  and  making  matches  between  their  horses  un- 
til he  thought  he  had  tired  them,  he  suddenly  mount- 
ed Gloucester’s  horse,  bade  them  adieu,  and  reached 
his  friends. 

The  royalists,  secretly  prepared  for  this  event,  im- 
mediately flew  to  arms.  Leicester  finding  himself  in 
a remote  quarter  of  the  kingdom,  surrounded  by  his 
enemies,  and  barred  from  all  communication  with  his 
friends  by  the  Severn,  whose  bridges  Edward  had 
broken  down,  wrote  to  his  son,  Simon  de  Montfort,  to 
hasten  from  London  with  an  army  for  his  relief.  Si- 
mon had  advanced  to  Kenilworth  with  that  view, 
where,  fancying  that  all  Edward’s  force  and  attention 
were  directed  against  his  father,  he  lay  secure  and 
unguarded  ; but  the  prince,  making  a sudden  and  forc- 
ed march,  surprised  him  in  his  camp,  dispersed  his 
army,  and  took  the  earl  of  Oxford  and  many  other  no- 
blemen prisoners,  almost  without  resistance.  Leices- 
ter, ignorant  of  his  son’s  fate,  passed  the  Severn  in 
boats  during  Edward’s  absence,  and  lay  at  Evesham, 
in  expectation  of  being  every  hour  joined  by  his 
friends  from  London  ; when  the  prince,  who  availed 
himself  of  every  favourable  moment,  appeared  in  the 
field  before  him.  The  battle  immediately  began, 
though  on  very  unequal  terms.  Leicester’s  army, 
by  living  on  the  mountains  of  Wales  without  bread, 
which  was  not  then  much  used  among  the  inhabitants, 
nad  been  extremely  weakened  by  sickness  and  deser- 
tion, and  was  soon  broken  by  the  victorious  royalists  ; 
while  his  Welsh  allies,  accustomed  only  to  a desulto- 
ry kind  of  war,  immediately  took  to  flight,  and  were 
• pursued  with  great  slaughter.  Leicester  himself, 
asking  for  quarter,  was  slain  in  the  heat  of  the  action, 
with  his  eldest  son,  Henry,  Hugh  le  Despenser,  and 
about  an  hundred  and  sixty  knights,  and  many  other 
gentlemen  of  his  party.  The  old  king  had  been  pur 
posely  placed  by  the  rebels  in  the  front  of  the  battle  ; 


HENRY  III. 


83 


and  being  clad  in  armour,  and  thereby  not  known  bj 
his  friends,  he  received  a wound,  and  was  in  clan 
ger  of  his  life  : but  crying  out,  11 1 am  Henry  of  Win- 
chester, your  king,”  he  was  rescued  and  carried  to  a 
place  of  safety. 

The  victory  of  Evesham,  with  the  death  of  Leices- 
iorri  ter.  proved  decisive  in  favour  of  the  royalists; 

-*  but  they  used  it  with  moderation.  No  sacrifices 
of  national  liberty  were  made  on  this  occasion  ; the 
great  charter  remained  inviolate ; and  they  carefully 
abstained  from  all  those  exertions  of  power,  which  had 
afforded  so  plausible  a pretext  to  the  rebels.  The 
mild  disposition  of  the  king,  and  the  prudence  of  the 
prince,  tempered  the  insolence  of  victory. 

Prince  Edward,  finding  the  state  of  the  kingdom 
tolerably  composed,  was  impelled  by  his  avidity 
for  glory,  by  the  prejudices  of  the  age,  and  by 
the  earnest  solicitations  of  the  king  of  France,  to  un- 
dertake an  expedition  against  the  infidels  in  the  Holy 
Land.  He  sailed  from  England  with  an  army  5 but 
when  he  arrived  at  Tunis,  he  found  Lewis  had  died 
from  the  heat  of  the  climate  and  the  fatigues  of  the 


1270] 


enterprise.  Not  discouraged,  however,  by  this  event, 
he  continued  his  voyage  to  the  Holy  Land,  where  he 
signalized  himself  by  acts  of  valour,  and  revived  the 
glory  of  the  English  name. 

In  the'  mean  time  his  absence  from  England  was 
productive  of  the  most  fatal  consequences;  the  laws 
were  not  executed;  the  barons  oppressed  the  common 
people  with  impunity  ; and  the  populace  of  London 
returned  to  their  usual  licentiousness.  The  old  king, 
unequal  to  the  burthen  of  public  affairs,  called  aioud 
for  his  gallant  son  to  return,  and  to  assist  him  in  sway- 
ing that  sceptre  which  was  ready  to  drop  from  his  fee- 
ble and  irresolute  hands.  At  last,  overcome  by  the 
cares  of  government,  and  the  infirmities  of  age.  he 
visibly  declined,  and  expired  at  Edmondsbury,  in  the 
sixty-fourth  year  of  his  age,  and  fifty-sixth  of  his  reign  ; 
the  longest  reign  that  is  to  be  met  with  in  the  English 
annals,  except  that  of  our  late  sovereign.  He  left  two 
sons,  Edward,  his  successor,  and  Edmond,  earl  of 
Lancaster;  and  two  daughters,  Margaret,  queen  of 
Scotland,  and  Beatrix,  duchess  of  Brittany.  The  mos* 
abvious  circumstance  of  Henry's  character  is,  his  in- 


84 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


capacity  for  government,  which  rendered  him  as  much 
a prisoner  in  the  hands  of  his  ministers  and  favourites, 
as  when  a captive  in  the  hands  of  his  enemies.  From 
this  source,  rather  than  from  insincerity  or  treachery, 
arose  his  negligence  in  observing  his  promises 
Hence,  too,  were  derived  his  profusion  to  favourites, 
his  attachment  to  strangers,  the  variableness  of  his 
conduct,  his  hasty  resentments,  and  the  sudden  return 
of  affection.  Greater  abilities  with  his  good  disposi- 
tions would  have  prevented  him  from  falling  into  his 
faults;  or,  with  worse  dispositions,  would  have  ena- 
bled him  to  maintain  them. 

Edward  had  reached  Sicily  in  his  return  from  the 
12721  Holy  Land,  where  he  had  been  wounded  with  a 
* poisonous  dagger,  when  he  received  intelligence 
of  the  death  of  his  father.  As  he  was  assured  of  the 
quiet  settlement  of  the  kingdom,  he  was  in  no  hurry 
to  take  possession  of  the  throne,  but  spent  near  a year 
in  France,  and  did  homage  to  Philip  for  the  domin- 
ions which  he  held  in  that  country.  At  length  he  ar 
rived  in  England,  where  he  was  received  with  the 
most  joyful  acclamations,  and  was  solemnly  crownec 
at  Westminster  by  Robert,  archbishop  of  Canterbury. 

The  king  immediately  applied  himself  to  correct 
those  disorders  which  civil  commotions  had  introduc- 
ed. By  a rigid  execution  of  the  laws,  he  gave  protec- 
tion to  the  inferior  orders  of  the  state,  and  diminished 
the  arbitrary  power  of  the  barons.  He  appointed  a 
commissioner  to  inquire  into  crimes  of  all  kinds;  and 
the  adulteration  of  the  coin  of  the  realm  being  imputed 
chiefly  to  the  Jews,  he  let  loose  on  them  the  whole 
rigours  of  his  justice.  In  London  alone,  two  hundred 
and  eighty  of  them  were  hanged  at  once  for  this 
crime  ; fifteen  thousand  were  robbed  of  their  effects, 
and  banished  the  kingdom ; and  since  that  period  they 
have  never  been  so  numerous  in  England. 

Llewellyn,  prince  of  Wales,  had  entered  into  all  the 
12761  conspiracies  °f  the  Montfort  faction  against  the 
J crown,  and  refusing  to  do  homage  to  the  new 
king,  Edward  levied  an  army  to  reduce  him  to  obedi- 
ence. Llewellyn  retired  among  the  hills  of  Snowdon  : 
but  Edward  pierced  into  the  heart  of  the  country,  and 
obliged  him  to  submit  at  discretion.  He  did  homage, 
and  permitted  his  barons  to  swear  fealty  to  the  crown 


EDWARD  I.  85 

of  England  : and  he  also  relinquished  the  country  be- 
tween Chesnire  and  the  river  Conway.  However,  the 
insolence  of  the  English,  who  oppressed  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  districts  ceded  to  them,  raised  the  indigna- 
tion of  the  Welsh,  who  again  took  to  arms.  Edward 
advanced  into  Wales  with  an  army  which  could  rot 
be  resisted.  Llewellyn  was  surprised  and  slain,  with 
two  thousand  of  his  followers  5 and  his  brother  David, 
after  being  chased  from  hill  to  hill,  was  at  last  betray- 
ed to  the  enemy.  Edward  sent  him  in  chains  to 
Shrewsbury  ; and  bringing  him  to  a formal  trial  before 
all  the  peers  of  England,  he  ordered  this  sovereign 
prince  to  be  hanged  as  a traitor,  for  defending  the 
liberties  of  his  native  country.  The  Welsh  nobility 
submitted  to  the  conqueror  ; and  the  laws  of  England 
were  established  throughout  the  principality. 

The  king,  sensible  that  nothing  cherished  military 
12841  8lory  an<^  val°ur  so  much  as  traditional  poetry, 
-*  collected  all  the  Welsh  bards,  and  barbarously 
ordered  them  to  be  put  to  death.  It  is  said  that  Ed- 
ward promised  to  give  the  Welsh  ta  prince,  a Welsh- 
man by  birth  ; and  that  he  invested  in  the  principality 
his  son  Edward,  then  an  infant,  who  had  been  born  at 
Caernarvon.  Thus  Wales  was  fully  annexed  to  . the 
crown ; and  henceforth  gives  a title  to  the  eldest  son 
of  the  kings  of  England. 

Edward  had  contracted  his  son  to  Margaret,  the  heir 
12Q11  Scottish  throne,  and  by  this  means  hoped 

J to  unite  the  whole  island  into  one  monarchy  ; 
but  this  project  failed  of  success  by  the  sudden  death 
of  that  princess;  and  the  vacant  throne  was  claimed 
both  by  John  Baliol  and  Robert  Bruce.  Each  of  the 
two  claimants  possessed  numerous  adherents  ; and  in 
order  to  prevent  a civil  war,  it  was  agreed  on  to  sub 
mit  the  dispute  to  the  arbitration  of  the  king  of  Eng- 
land. The  temptation  was  too  strong  for  the  virtue 
of  Edward.  He  purposed  to  lav  hold  of  the  present 
opportunity,  to  revive,  if  not  to  create,  his  claim  of  a 
feudal  superiority  over  Scotland.  Accompanied  by  a 
great  army,  he  advanced  to  the  frontiers,  and  invited 
the  Scottish  parliament  aqd  the  competitors  to  attend 
him  in  the  castle  ofNorham,  on  the  southern  bank  of 
the  Tweed.  He  informed  them  that  he  was  come 
thither  to  determine  the  right  of  the  two  competitors 


36 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


to  their  crown  ; that  he  was  resolved  to  do  strict  jus 
tice  to  each  party ; and  that  he  was  entitled  to  this 
authority,  not  in  virtue  of  the  reference  made  to  him, 
but  in  quality  of  liege  lord  of  the  kingdom. 

The  Scottish  barons  were  moved  with  indignation 
at  the  injustice  of  this  unexpected  claim  : but  they 
found  themselves  betrayed  into  a situation,  in  which 
it  was  impossible  for  them  to  make  any  defence  for 
the  independence  of  their  country  ; and  the  king  inter- 
preting their  silence  into  consent,  addressed  himself 
to  the  competitors,  and  previously  to  his  pronouncing 
sentence,  required  their  acknowledgment  of  his  supe- 
riority. At  length,  after  long  deliberations,  Edward 
pronounced  in  favour  of  Baliol,to  whom,  upon  renew- 
ing his  oath  of  fealty  to  England,  all  the  Scottish  for  - 
tresses were  restored.  However,  he  proceeded  in 
such  a manner,  as  made  it  evident  that  he  aimed  at 
the  absolute  dominion  of  the  kingdom.  He  encour 
aged  appeals  to  England;  and  obliged  king  John  to 
appear  at  the  bar  of  his  parliament  as  a private  person. 
Baliol,  though  a prince  of  a gentle  disposition,  was 
greatly  provoked  at  this  usage;  he  determined  at  all 
hazards  to  vindicate  his  liberties  ; and  the  war  which 
soon  after  broke  out  between  France  and  England 
afforded  him  a favourable  opportunity. 

A petty  quarrel  between  a Norman  and  English 
sailor  had  been  speedily  inflamed  into  a national 
enmity.  Barbarities  were  committed  on  the 
crews  of  Norman  and  English  vessels  ; the  sea  became 
a scene  of  piracy  between  the  two  nations ; and  so 
numerous  were  the  fleets  engaged,  that  fifteen  thou- 
sand Frenchmen  are  reported  to  have  perished  in  one 
action.  Philip  sent  an  envoy  to  demand  reparation  ; 
but  not  obtaining  s.  Jicient  satisfaction,  he  summoned 
Edward  as  his  vassal,  to  appear  in  his  court  at  Paris, 
and  answer  for  these  offences;  ard  on  his  refusal, 
Guienne,  by  a formal  decree,  was  declared  forfeited, 
and  annexed  to  the  crown  of  France.  Some  impres- 
sion was  made  on  Guienne  by  an  English  army,  which 
Edward  raised  by  emptying  the  jails,  but  which  was 
soon  after  defeated  with  gre^t  slaughter;  and  England 
was  at  the  same  time  menaced  with  an  invasion  from 
France  and  from  Scotland,  whose  kings  had  entered 
IF  to  a secret  alliance. 


EDWARD  I. 


81 


The  expenses  attending  these 
to  have  frequent  recourse 
plies,  and  to  introduce  int 
the  lower  orders  of  the  state  He  issued  writs  to  the 
sheriffs,  enjoining  them  to  send  to  parliament,  along 
with  two  knights  of  the  shire,  two  deputies  from  each 
borough  ;*  “ as  it  is  a most  equitable  rule,”  says  he, 
11  that  what  concerns  all  should  be  approved  of  by  all 
and  common  dangers  be  repelled  by  united  efforts.” 
This  noble  principle  seems  to  indicate  a liberal  mind 
in  the  king,  and  to  have  laid  the  foundation  of  a free 
and  equitable  government;  and  from  this  period  may 
be  dated  the  regular  establishment  of  the  different 
branches  composing  the  house  of  commons,  the  pre- 
cedent of  Leicester  in  the  former  reign  being  rather 
an  act  of  violence  than  of  authority. 

Edward  employed  the  supplies  granted  him  by  his 
people,  in  making  preparations  against  the  hostilities 

* The  charges  of  the  deputies  were  borne  by  the  borough 
which  sent  them.  They  sat  apart  from  the  barons  and  knights, 
who  disdained  to  mix  with  such  mean  personages.  After  they 
had  given  their  consent  to  the  taxes  required  of  them,  they 
jeparated,  even  though  the  parliament  continued  to  sit.  How- 
ever, tire  union  of  the  representatives  from  the  boroughs  gave 
gradually  more  weight  to  the  whole  order ; and  it  became  cus- 
tomary for  them,  in  return  for  the  aupplies  which  they  granted, 
to  prefer  petitions  to  the  crown  for  the  redress  of  any  particu- 
lar grievance  ; and  the  king,  by  adding  to  the  petitions  the 
sanction  of  his  authority,  bestowed  validity  upon  them.  But 
it  was  soon  discovered,  that  no  laws  could  be  fixed  for  one  or- 
der of  men,  without  affecting  the  whole:  apd  the  house  of 
peers,  therefore,  with  reason,  expected  that  their  assent  should 
be  expressly  granted  to  all  public  ordinances. 

With  the  most  frequent  partition  of  property,  the  knights 
and  lesser  barons  sunk  into  a rank  still  more  inferior  to  the 
great  nobility  ; while  the  growth  of  commerce  augmented  the 
private  wealth  and  consideration  of  the  burgesses  : and  as  they 
resembled  the  knights  of  shires  in  representing  particular  bod- 
ies of  men,  it  no  longer  appeared  unsuitable  to  unite  them  to- 
gether in  the  same  house,  and  to  confound  their  rights  and 
privileges.  This  event  took  place  in  the  16th  of  Edward  III 
or  fony-eight  years  from  the  time  when  burgesses  were  first 
summoned  to  parliament.  Thus  the  third  estate,  that  of  the 
commons,  reached  at  length  its  present  form  •,  it  gradually  in- 
creased in  importance  ; and  in  its  progress  made  arts  and  com- 
merce, the  necessary  attendants  of  liberty  and  equal  rights 
flourish  in  the  kingdom. 


wars  obliged  Edward 
to  parliamentary  sup- 
o the  public  councils 


68 


HISTORY  OF  -ENGLAND. 


12961  °**  nort^ern  neighbours.  He  summoned 
■*  John  to  appear  before  him  as  his  vassal;  and 
on  his  refusal,  he  marched  with  thirty  thousand  foo* 
and  four  thousand  horse  to  chastise  his  contumacy. 
Some  of  the  most  considerable  of  the  Scottish  nobles 
endeavoured  to  ingratiate  themselves  with  Edward  by 
an  early  submission  ; and  the  king  crossed  the  Tweed 
without  opposition,  took  Berwick  by  assault,  and  de- 
tached the  earl  of  Warrenne  with  twelve  thousand  men 
to  besiege  Dunbar.  The  Scots,  who  advanced  against 
Warrenne  with  their  main  army,  were  defeated  with 
the  loss  of  twenty  thousand  men.  Dunbar  surrender- 
ed ; and  after  a feeble  resistance,  the  castles  of  Edin- 
burgh and  Stirling  opened  their  gates  to  the  English. 
All  the  southern  parts  were  immediately  subdued. 
The  spirit  of  the  nation  was  broken  by  misfortunes  ; 
and  the  feeble  and  timid  Baliol  hastened  to  make  his 
submission,  and  solemnly  resigned  his  crown  into  the 
hands  of  fldward.  That  sovereign  marched  to  Aber- 
deen and  Elgin  without  opposition  ; and  having  reduc- 
ed the  whole  kingdom  to  an  apparent  state  of  tran- 
quillity, he  returned  to  the  south.  Earl  Warrenne  was 
left  governor  of  Scotland.  Baliol  was  carried  to  Lon 
don,  and  lay  two  years  in  the  Tower,  and  then  submit- 
ted to  a voluntary  banishment  to  France,  where  he 
died  in  a private  station. 

Edward  was  not  equally  successful  in  his  attempt 
to  recover  Guienne  ; and,  at  length,  Philip  and  he 
agreed  to  submit  their  differences  to  the  arbitration 
of  Pope  Boniface.  This  was  the  last  of  the 
sovereign  pontiffs  that  exercised  an  authority 
over  the  temporal  jurisdiction  of  princes;  and  these 
exorbitant  pretensions,  which  he  had  been  tempted  to 
assume  from  the  successful  example  of  his  predeces- 
sors, but  of  which  the  season  was  now  passed,  involv- 
ed him  in  so  many  calamities,  and  were  attended  with 
so  unfortunate  a catastrophe,  that  they  have  been  se- 
cretly abandoned,  though  never  openly  relinquished, 
by  his  successors  in  the  apostolic  chair.  Edward  and 
Philip,  equally  jealous  of  papal  claims,  took  care  to 
insert  in  their  reference,  that  Boniface  was  made  judge 
of  their  differences  by  their  consent,  as  a private  per- 
son, not  by  any  right  of  his  pontificate;  and  the  pope 
without  seeming  to  be  offended  at  this  mortifying 


1298] 


EDWARD  I.  8S 

clause,  proceeded  to  give  a sentence  between  them, 
in  which  they  both  acquiesced.  He  brought  them  to 
agree  that  their  union  should  be  cemented  by  a dou- 
ble marriage;  that  of  Edward  himself,  who  now  was  a 
.widower,  with  Margaret,  Philip’s  sister ; and  that  ot 
the  prince  of  Wales  with  Isabella,  daughter  of  that 
monarch.  Philip  was  likewise  willing  to  restore  Gui- 
enne  to  the  English  ; and  Edward  agreed  to  abandon 
his  ally  the  earl  of  Flanders,  on  condition  that  Philip 
should  treat  in  like  manner  his  ally  the  king  of  Scots. 
The  prospect  of  conquering  these  two  countries, 
whose  situation  .made  them  so  commodious  an  acqui- 
sition to  the  respective  kingdoms,  prevailed  over  all 
other  considerations ; and  though  they  were  both  fi- 
nally disappointed  in  their  hopes,  their  conduct  was 
very  reconcilable  to  the  principles  of  an  interested 
policy. 

Warrenne  retiring  into  England,  on  account  of  his 
bad  state  of  health,  left  the  administration  of  Scot- 
land entirely  in  the  hands  of  Ormesby  the  justiciary, 
jand  Cressingham  the  treasurer.  The  former  distin- 
guished himself  by  his  severity;  the  latter  had  no 
other  object  than  the  amassing  of  money  by  rapine 
and  injustice.  They  treated  the  Scots  as  a conquered 
people ; and,  in  consequence,  the  bravest  and  most 
generous  spirits  of  the  nation  were  exasperated  to  the 
highest  degree  against  the  English  government. 

Among  these  was  William  Wallace,  a man  descend- 
ed from  an  ancient  family,  whose  courage  prompted 
him  to  undertake,  and  enabled  him  finally  to  accom- 
plish, the  deliverance  of  his  native  country.  Finding 
himself  obnoxious  to  the  administration,  he  had  fled 
into  the  woods,  and  offered  himself  as  a leader  to  all 
those  whom  their  crimes,  or  bad  fortune,  or  avowed 
hatred  to  the  English,  had  reduced  to  the  same  neces- 
sity. He  was  endowed  with  gigantic  force,  with  he- 
roic courage,  and  patience  to  bear  hunger,  fatigue,  and 
all  the  severities  of  the  seasons.  Beginning  with 
small  attempts,  he  gradually  proceeded  to  more  mo 
mentous  enterprises;  and  he  discovered  equal  pru 
dence  in  securing  his  followers,  and  valour  in  annoy 
ing  the  enemy.  All  who  thirsted  after  military  fame 
or  felt  the  flame  of  patriotism,  were  desirous  to  par 
take  his  renown;  and  he  seemed  to  vindicate  the  na 


asw. 


90  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

tion  from  the  ignominy  into  which  it  had  fallen  by  iti 
tame  submission  to  the  English. 

Wallace  resolved  to  strike  a decisive  blow  against 
the  English  government,  and  concerted  the  plan  of 
attacking  Ormesby  at  Scone  3 but  the  justiciary,  ap- 
prized of  his  intentions,  fled  hastily  into  England,  and 
all  the  other  officers  of  Edward  followed  his  example. 
Their  terror  added  courage  to  the  Scots,  who  took  up 
arms  in  every  quarter.  Warrenne,  collecting  an  army 
of  forty  thousand  men  in  the  north  of  England,  ad- 
vanced to  Stirling,  and  found  Wallace  encamped  on 
the  opposite  banks  of  the  Forth.  He  prepared  to  at- 
tack the  Scots  in  that  position,  and  ordered  his  army 
to  cross  a bridge  which  lay  over  the  Forth.  Wallace, 
allowing  a number  of  the  English  to  pass,  attacked 
them  before  they  could  be  formed,  and  pushed  them 
into  the  river,  or  destroyed  them  with  the  sword. 
Warrenne  was  obliged  to  retire  into  England  3 and 
Wallace,  after  receiving  from  his  followers  the  title 
of.  guardian,  or  regent,  broke  into  the  northern  coup. 
ties  of  England,  and  extended  his  ravages  to  the  bish-' 
opric  of  Durham. 

* Edward,  who  received  in  Flanders  intelligence  of 
these  events,  hastened  his  return  5 and  having  collect- 
ed the  whole  military  force  of  England,  Wales,  and 
Ireland,  he  marched  with  an  army  of  nearly  a hun 
dred  thousand  men  to  the  northern  frontiers.  The 
Scots  were  distracted  by  faction  and  animosity.  Tl/e 
elevation  of  Wallace  was  the  object  of  envy  to  the 
nobility  j and  that  hero,  sensjble  of  their  jealousy, 
and  dreading  the  ruin  of  his  country  from  those  intes- 
tine discords,  voluntarily  resigned  his  authority,  and 
retained  only  the  command  over  that  body  of  follow 
ers,  who,  being  accustomed  to  victory  under  his  stand- 
ard, refused  to  follow  into  the  field  any  other  leader. 
The  chief  power  devolved  on  the  steward  of  Scot- 
land, and  Cummin  of  Badenach,  men  of  eminent 
birth,  who  fixed  their  station  at  Falkirk,  where  they 
purposed  to  abide  the  assault  of  the  English. 

The  English  archers,  who  began  about  this  time  to 
surpass  those  of  other  nations,  first  chased  the  Scot- 
tish bowmen  off*  the  field,  afterwryds  threw  the  pike- 
men  into  disorder,  and  thus  rendered  the  assault  of 
the  English  lancers  and  cavalry  more  easy  and  sue- 


EDWARD  I. 


91 

eessful.  The  whole  Scottish  army  wa3  broken,  and 
driven  off  the  field  with  prodigious  slaughter.  In  this 
general  route  Wallace  kept  his  troops  entire  ; and  re- 
tiring behind  the  Carron,  he  marched  leisurely  along 
the  banks  of  that  river.  Young  Robert  Bruce,  the 
grandson  and  heir  of  him  who  had  been  competitor 
for  the  throne,  who,  in  the  service  of  England,  had 
already  given  many  proofs  of  his  aspiring  genius,  ap 
peared  on  the  opposite  banks;  and  distinguishing  the 
Scottish  chief,  he  called  to  him,  and  desired  a short 
conference.  He  represented  to  Wallace  the  fruitless 
and  ruinous  enterprise  in  which  he  was  engaged,  and 
the  unequal  contest  between  a weak  state,  deprived 
of  its  head  and  agitated  by  intestine  discord,  and  a 
mighty  nation  conducted  by  the  ablest  and  most  mar 
tial  monarch  of  the  age.  If  the  love  of  his  country 
was  his  motive  for  perseverance,  his  obstinacy  tended 
only  to  prolong  her  misery  ; if  he  carried  his  views 
to  private  grandeur  and  ambition,  he  ought  to  reflect, 
that  so  many  haughty  nobles,  proud  of  the  pre-emin 
ence  of  their  families,  would  never  submit  to  person- 
al merit.  To  these  exhortations  Wallace  repl  ed, 
that,  if  he  had  hitherto  acted  alone  as  the  champion 
of  his  country,  it  was  because  no  leader  had  yet  ap- 
peared to  place  himself  in  that  honourable  station  : 
that  the  blame  lay  entirely  with  the  nobility,  and 
chiefly  with  Bruce  himself,  who,  uniting  personal 
merit  to  dignity  of  family,  had  deserted  the  post  which 
both  nature  and  fortune  invited  him  to  assume  ; that 
the  Scots,  possessed  of  such  a leader,  might  hope 
successfully  to  oppose  all  the  powers  and  abilities  of 
Edward;  and  as  for  himself,  he  was  desirous  that  his 
own  life,  as  well  as  the  existence  of  the  nation,  might 
terminate  when  they  could  not  otherwise  be  preserv- 
ed, than  by  receiving  the  chains  of  a haughty  victor. 
The  gallantry  of  these  sentiments  was  felt  by  the 
.generous  mind  of  Bruce  ; and  he  secretly  determined 
to  seize  the  first  opportunity  of  embracing  the  cause 
of  his  oppressed  country. 

The  battle  of  Falkirk  had  not  completed  the  sub- 
12991  Ject^on  °f  the*Scots.  They  chose  for  their  re- 
J gent  John  Cummin,  who  surprised  the  English 
army,  and  routed  them  after  an  obstinate  conflict 
and  it  became  necessary  for  Edward  to  begin  anev 
the  conquest  of  the  kinedom. 


92 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


The  king  prepared  himself  for  the  enterprise  with 
his  usual  vigour  and  abilities.  He  marched  victorious 
from  one  extremity  of  Scotland  to  the  other,  and  com 
polled  even  Cummin  himself  to  submit  to  his  author 
ity.  To  render  his  acquisition  durable,  he  abrogated 
all  the  laws  and  customs  of  Scotland,  endeavoured  to 
substitute  those  of  England  in  their  place,  entirely 
rased  or  destroyed  all  the  monuments  of  antiquity, 
and  hastened  wholly  to  abolish  the  Scottish  name. 

Wallace  himself  was  at  length  betrayed  into  Ed- 
13051  warc^s  hands,  by  his  friend  Sir  John  Monteith  3 
•*  find  the  king,  whose  natural  bravery  and  mag 
nanimity,  should  have  induced  him  to  respect  similar 
qualities  in  an  enemy,  resolved  to  overawe  the  Scots 
by  an  example  of  severity.  He  ordered  the  hero  to 
be  carried  in  chains  to  London  3 to  be  tried  as  a rebel 
and  a traitor,  though  he  had  never  sworn  fealty  to 
England;  and  to  be  executed  on  Tower-hill.  Such 
was  the  unworthy  fate  of  Wallace,  who,  through  the 
course  of  several  years,  with  signal  conduct,  intre- 
pidity, and  perseverance,  defended,  against  a public 
and  oppressive  enemy,  the  liberties  of  his  native 
country. 

The  barbarous  policy  of  Edward  failed  of  the  ob- 
13061  jec*  *°  wh*ch  it  was  directed.  The  Scots  were 
-*  enraged  at  the  injustice  and  cruelty  exercised 
on  their  gallant  chief  3 and  it  was  not  long  ere  a more 
fortunate  leader  presented  himself  to  conduct  them 
to  victory  and  to  vengeance.  Robert  Bruce,  whose 
conference  with  Wallace  on  the  banks  of  the  Carron 
has  been  already  noticed,  determined  to  revive  the 
pretensions  of  his  family,  and  to  aspire  to  the. vacant 
throne.  Edward,  being  apprised  of  his  intentions,  or- 
dered all  his  motions  to  be  strictly  watched.  An  in- 
timate friend  of  Bruce,  not  daring,  amidst  .so  many 
jealous  eyes,  to  hold  any  conversation  with  him,  sent 
him  by  his  servant  a pair  of  gilt  spurs  and  a purse  of 
gold,  which  he  pretended  to  have  borrowed  from  him  j 
and  left  it  to  his  sagacity  to  discover  the  meaning. 
Bruce  immediately  contrived  to  escape,  and  i n,  a few 
days  arrived  at  Dumfries,  the  chief  seat  of  hisTamily 
interest,  where  he  found  a great  number  of  the  Scottisli 
nobility  assembled,  and  among  the  rest  John  Cummin 
with  whom  he  had  formerly  lived  in  strict  intimacy. 


EDWARD  II. 


93 


The  noblemen  were  astonished  at  the  appearance 
of  Bruce  among  them ; and  still  more  when  he  tolu 
them,  that  he  was  come  to  live  or  die  with  them  in 
defence  of  the  liberties  of  his  country.  These  gen- 
erous sentiments,  assisted  by  the  graces  of  his  youth 
and  manly  deportment,  impressed  the  minds  of  his 
audience  5 and  they  resolved  to  use  their  utmost  ef- 
forts in  delivering  their  country  from  bondage.  Cum- 
min alone,  who  had  secretly  taken  his  measures  with 
the  king,  opposed  this  general  determination  ; and 
Bruce,  already  apprised  of  his  treachery,  followed 
Cummin  on  the  dissolution  of  the  assembly,  and  at- 
tacking him  in  the  cloisters  of  the  Gray  Friars,  ran 
him  through  the  body. 

The  murder  of  Cummin  sealed  the  conspiracy  of  the 
Scottish  nobles.  The  genius  of  the  nation  roused  it- 
self ; and  Bruce  was  solemnly  crowned  at  Scone  by 
the  bishop  of  St.  Andrews.  The  English  were  again 
expelled  the  kingdom  5 and  Edward  found,  that  the 
Scots,  twice  conquered  in  his  reign,  must  yet  be  afresh 
subdued.  To  effect  this,  he  assembled  a great  army, 
>3071  and  was  preparing  to  enter  the  frontiers,  when  he 
-*  unexpectedly  sickened  and  died  near  Carlisle, 
in  the  sixty-ninth  year  of  his  age  and  the  thirty-fifth  of 
his  reign.  With  his  last  breath  he  enjoined  his  son  and 
successor  to  prosecute  the  enterprise,  and  never  to  de- 
sist till  he  had  finally  subdued  the  kingdom  of  Scotland. 

Edward  II.  was  in  the  twenty-third  year  of  his  age 
when  he  ascended  the  throne.  He  was  of  an  agreea- 
ble figure,  and  of  a mild  and  gentle  disposition  ; but 
the  first  act  of  his  reign  blasted  the  hopes  which  the 
English  had  entertained  of  him.  Equally  incapable 
of,  and  averse  to  bus-iness,  he  entered  Scotland  only 
- to  retreat:  he  disbanded  his  army,  without  attacking 
Bruce  : and  by  this  conduct,  he  convinced  the  barons 
that  the  authority  of  the  crown  was  no  longer  to  be 
dreaded,  and  that  they  were  at  liberty  to  practise  er 
ery  insolence  with  impunity. 

Piers  Gaveston,  the  son  of  a Gascon  knight,  by  his 
insinuating  address,  his  elegance  of  form,  and  his  live- 
ly wit,  had  gained  an  entire  ascendant  over  the  young 
Edward  5 and  the  late  king,  apprehensive  of  the  con- 
sequences, had  banished  him  the  kingdom,  and  made 
his  son  promise  never  to  recall  hirn.  No  sooner, 


94 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


however,  did  the  young  Edward  ascend  the  Oirone, 
than  he  recalled  Gaveston,  gave  him  the  whole  earl- 
dom of  Cornwall,  married  him  to  his  own  niece,  and 
seemed  to  enjoy  no  pleasure  in  his  royal  dignity,  but 
as  it  enabled  him  to  exalt  this  object  of  his  fond  af- 
fections. The  haughty  barons  were  offended  at  the 
superiority  of  a minion,  whose  birth  they  despised, 
and  who  eclipsed  them  in  pomp  and  splendour.  In 
a journey  to  France,  to  espouse  the  princess  Isabella, 
Edward  left  Gaveston  guardian  of  the  realm  ; but  on 
his  return  with  the  young  queen,  Isabella,  who  was 
of  an  imperious  and  intriguing  disposition,  finding  her 
husband’s  capacity  required  to  be  governed,  thought 
herself  best  entitled  to  perform  the  office,  and  was 
well  pleased  to  see  a combination  of  the  nobility 
formed  against  the  favourite. 

Thomas  earl  of  Lancaster,  cousin-german  to  the 
coqo-1  king,  was  at  the  head  of  the  party  among  the 
° -*  barons.  That  nobleman  entering  the  parlia- 

ment with  his  adherents  in  arms,  required  the  banish- 
ment of  Gaveston  ; and  Edward  was  obliged  to  sub- 
mit ; but  instead  of  sending  him  to  his  own  country, 
he  appointed  him  lord-lieutenant  of  Ireland. 

The  king,  unhappy  in  the  absence  of  his  minion, 
employed  every  expedient  to  soften  the  opposition  of 
the  barons  to  his  return  ; and  deeming  matters  suffi- 
ciently prepared  for  his  purpose,  he  ventured  to  re- 
call Gaveston,  and  went  to  Chester  to  receive  him 
on  his  first  landing  from  Ireland.  However,  in  defi- 
ance of  the  laws  and  the  king’s  prohibition,  the  bar- 
ons, with  a numerous  retinue  of  armed  followers, 
compelled  Edward  to  devolve  on  a chosen  junto  the 
whole  authority  both  of  the  crown  and  the  parliament: 
and  among  other  regulations  sanctioned  by  this  com- 
mittee, Gaveston  was  forever  banished  the  king’s  do- 
minions. 

As  soon,  however,  as  Edward,  by  removing  to  York, 
had  freed  himself  from  the  barons’  power,  he  recall- 
ed Gaveston  from  Flanders;  and  the  barons,  highly 
provoked  at  this  measure,  flew  to  arms,  with  the  earl 
of  Lancaster  at  their  head.  Edward  left  his  favour- 
ite in  the  castle  of  Scarborough,  which  was  obliged 
to  surrender  to  the  earl  of  Pembroke.  From  thenco 
Gaveston  was  conducted  to  the  castle  of  Dedington 


EDWARD  II. 


i»5 

rear  Banbury,  where,  being  left  with  a small  guard, 
he  was  surprised  by  the  earl  of  Warwick  ; and,  with- 
out any  regard  to  the  laws,  the  head  of  the  unhappy 
favourite  was  struck  off  by  the  hands  of  the  execu 
1 SI ti°ner*  When  the  king  was  informed  of  Gav- 
eston’s  murder,  he  threatened  vengeance  on 
all  those  who  had  been  active  in  that  bloody  scene  ; 
but  being  less  constant  in  his  enmities  than  in  his 
friendships,  he  listened  to  terms  of  accommodation, 
and  granted  the  barons  a pardon  of  all  offences. 

Immediately  after  Edward’s  retreat  from  Scotland, 
Robert  Bruce  left  his  fastnesses  ; and  in  a short  time, 
nearly  the  whole  kingdom  acknowledged  his  authority. 
The  castle  of  Stirling,  the  only  fortress  in  Scotland 
which  remained  in  the  hands  of  the  English,  was 
closely  pressed  ; and  to  relieve  this  place,  Edward 
summoned  his  forces  from  all  quarters,  and  marched 
wi-th  an  army  of  an  hundred  thousand  rnen.  At  Ban- 
nockburn, about  two  miles  from  Stirling,  Bruce  with 
thirty  thousand  hardy  warriors,  inured  to  all  the  vari- 
eties of  fortune,  and  inflamed  with  the  love  of  inde 
pendence,  awaited  the  charge  of  the  enemy.  A hil 
covered  his  right  flank,  and  a morass  his  left  5 am 
along  the  banks  of  a rivulet  in  his  front  he  dug  deep 
pits;  planted  them  with  stakes,  and  covered  the  whole 
with  turf.  The  English,  confident  in  their  superior 
numbers,  rushed  to  the  attack  without  precaution. 
Their  cavalry,  entangled  in  the  pits,  were  thrown  in 
to  disorder  ; and  the  Scottish  horse,  allowing  them  no 
time  to  rally,  attacked  them,  and  drove  them  off  the 
field  with  considerable  loss.  While  the  English  for 
ces  were  .alarmed  at  this  unfortunate  event,  an  army 
appeared  on  the  heights  toward  the  left,  marching  to 
surround  them.  This  was  composed  of  wagoners  and 
sumpter-boys,  whom  Robert  had  supplied  with  milita- 
ry standards.  The  stratagem  took  effect ; a panic 
seized  the  English  who  threw  down  their  arms,  and 
fled,  and  were  pursued  to  the  gates  of  Berwick..  Be- 
sides an  inestimable  booty,  the  Scots  took  many  per- 
sons of  quality  prisoners,  and  above  four  hundred  gen- 
tlemen, whose  ransom  was  a new  accession  of  strength 
to  the  victors. 

This  great  and  decisive  battle  secured  the  indepen- 
dence of  Scotland,  and  fixed  tne  throne  of  Bruce 


96  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

QJ5-1  whilst  it  shook  that  of  Edward,  whose  defeat 
1 -*  encouraged  the  nobility  to  insist  on  the  renew- 

al of  their  ordinances.  After  the  death  of  Gaveston, 
the  king’s  chief  favourite  was  Hugli  le  Despenser,  or 
Spenser,  a young  man  of  high  rank,  and  noble  family. 
He  possessed  all  the  exterior  accomplishments  of  per- 
son and  address,  but  was  not  endowed  either  with 
moderation  or  prudence.  His  father,  who  was  of  the 
same  name,  was  a nobleman  venerable  from  his  years, 
and  qualified,  by  his  talents  and  experience,  to  have 
supplied  the  defects  both  of  the  king  and  his  minion  j 
but  Edward’s  attachment  rendered  the  name  of  Spen- 
ser odious 3 and  the  turbulent  Lancaster,  and  most 
of  the  great  barons,  formed  plans  for  his  destruction. 

The  claim  of  Spenser  to  an  estate,  which  had  been 
settled  on  the  illustrious  family  of  Mowbray,  was  the 
signal  for  civil  war.  The  earls  of  Lancaster  and  Her- 
eford flew  to  arms  3 and  by  menaces  and  violence  they 
extorted  from  the  king  an  act  of  attainder  against  the 
Spensers,  and  of  indemnity  for  themselves.  This  be- 
*ng  effected,  they  disbanded  their  army,  and  separated, 
in  security,  as  they  imagined,  to  their  respective  cas- 
tles. Edward,  however,  having  assembled  an  army, 
dropped  the  mask,  and  recalled  the  Spensers,  whose 
sentence  he  declared  to  be  illegal  and  unjust.  Lan- 
caster, who  had  hastily  collected  thirty  thousand  men, 
fled  with  his  forces  towards  the  north  3 but  being  in- 
tercepted at  Boroughbridge,  after  a slight  action,  he 
was  taken  prisoner,  and  brought  to  the  king.  Edward, 
though  gentle  by  nature,  remembered  on  this  occasion 
the  fate  of  Gaveston  3 and  Lancaster,  mounted  upon  a 
lean  horse,  and  exposed  to  the  derision  of  the  people 
was  conducted  to  an  eminence  near  Pomfret,  one  of 
his  own  castles,  where  he  suffered  decapitation. 

Edward,  after  another  fruitless  attempt  on  Scotland, 
concluded  a truce  for  thirteen  years  with  Bruce, 
whose  title  to  the  crown  «vas  thus  virtually,  though  not 
tacitly,  acknowledged.  He  was,  however,  still  embar- 
rassed by  the  demands  of  his  brother-in-law,  Charles 
the  Fair,  who  required  him  to  appear  and  do  homage 
for  the  fees  which  he  held  in  France.  The  queen 
had  been  permitted  to  go  to  Paris,  and  endeavour  to 
adjust  in  an  amicable  manner  the  differences  wkh  hei 
brother.  On  her  arrival  in  France,  Isabella  was  sur 


EDWARD.  II. 


'J7 

rounded  by  a number  of  English  fugitives,  the  remains 
of  the  Lancastrian  faction.  Among  these  was  young 
Roger  Mortimer,  a potent  baron  in  the  Welsh  march- 
es, who,  by  the  graces  of  his  person  and^  address, 
quickly  advanced  in  the  affections  of  the  queen,  and 
at  last  triumphed  over  her  honour.  The  king,  inform- 
ed of  these  circumstances,  required  her  speedily  to 
return  with  the  young  prince  Edward,  who  was  then 
with  his  mother  in  Paris  ; but  instead  of  obeying  his 
orders,  she  publicly  declared  that  she  would  never  set 
foot  in  England  till  Spenser  was  removed  from  his 
presence  and  councils. 

This  declaration  procured  Isabella  great  popularity 
1^261  'n  England,  and  threw  a veil  over  her  treasona- 
J ble  enterprises  3 and  having  affianced  young 
Edward  with  Philippa,  daughter  of  the  count  of  Hol- 
land and  Hainault,  she  enlisted  three  thousand  men, 
sailed  from  the  harbour  of  Dort,  and  landed,  without 
opposition,  on  the  coast  of  Norfolk.  She  was  imme- 
diately joined  by  several  of  the  most  powerful  barons  3 
ind  to  render  her  cause  popular,  she  renewed  her  dec- 
laration, that  her  sole  purpose  was  to  free  the  king  and 
kingdom  from  the  tvranny  of  the  Spensers. 

The  king,  after  trying  in  vain  to  rouse  the  citizens 
of  London  to  a sense  of  duty,  departed  for  the  west, 
and  was  hotly  pursued  to  Bristol  by  his  own  brother, 
the  earl  of  Kent,  and  the  foreign  forces  under  John  de 
Hainault.  Disappointed  in  the  loyalty  of  those  parts, 
he  passed  over  into  Wales,  leaving  the  elder  Spenser 
governor  of  the  castle  of  Bristol  3 but  the  garrison  mu- 
tinied against  him,  and  he  was  delivered  into  the  hands 
of  his  enemies.  This  venerable  noble,  who  had  near- 
ly reached  his  ninetieth  year,  was  without  trial  con- 
demned to  death  by  the  rebellious  barons.  He  was 
hanged  on  a gibbet  j his  body  was  cut  in  pieces  and 
thrown  to  the  dogs  3 and  his  head  was  sent  to  Win- 
chester, where  it  was  set  upon  a pole,  and  exposed  to 
the  insults  of  the  populace.  Edward  himself  attempted 
to  escape  to  Ireland  3 but  being  driven  back  by  contra- 
ry winds,  he  was  discovered,  and  committed  to  the  cus- 
tody of  the  earl  of  Leicester,  in  the  castle  of  Kenil- 
worth. The  younger  Spenser,  his  favourite,  who  al- 
so fell  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies,  was  executed 
like  his  father,  without  any  appearance  of  a legal  trial. 

VOL.  I.  7 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


The  diabolical  Isabella,  in  order  to  avail  herself  of 
1S271  Prevailino  delusion,  summoned  in  the  king’s 
■*  name  a parliament  at  Westminster.  A charge 
was  drawn  up  against  Edward,  in  which,  though  fratn 
ed  by  his  inveterate  enemies,  nothing  but  his  want  of 
capacity,  or  his  misfortunes,  could  be  objected  against 
him.  The  deposition  of  the  king,  however,  was  vot- 
ed by  parliament;  and  the  prince  his  son  was  placed 
on  the  throne. 

But  it  was  impossible  that  the  character  and  con- 
duct of  Isabella  could  long  oe  mistaken.  The  gross 
violation  of  every  duty  and  every  tie  soon  estranged 
from  her  the  minds  of  men  ; the  proofs  which  daily 
broke  out  of  her  criminal  commerce  with  Mortimer, 
increased  the  general  abhorrence  against  her  ; and  her 
hypocrisy  in  publicly  bewailing  the  king’s  unhappy 
fate,  was  not  able  to  deceive  even  the  most  stupid  and 
most  prejudiced  of  her  adherents.  In  proportion  as 
the  queen  became  the  object  of  public  hatred,  the  de- 
throned monarch,  who  had  been  the  victim  of  her 
crimes  and  her  ambition,  was  regarded  with  pity  and 
veneration;  and  men  became  sensible,  that  all  his 
misconduct,  which  faction  had  so  much  exaggerated, 
had  been  owing  to  the  natural  imbecility,  not  to  any 
voluntary  depravity,  of  his  character.  The  earl  of 
Leicester,  now  earl  of  Lancaster,  to  whose  custody 
he  had  been  committed,  was  soon  touched  with  those 
generous  sentiments;  and  besides  treating  his  priso- 
ner with  gentleness  and  humanity,  he  was  suspected 
to  have  entertained  still  more  honourable  intentions 
in  his  favour.  The  king,  therefore,  was  taken  from 
his  hands,  and  delivered  over  to  lord  Berkeley,  and 
Mautravers  and  Gournay,  who  were  entrusted  alter- 
nately, each  for  a month,  with  the  charge  of  guarding 
him.  While  he  was  in  the  custody  of  Berkeley,  he 
was  still  treated  with  the  gentleness  due  to  his  ranl< 
and  his  misfortunes;  but  when  the  turn  of  Mautra- 
vers and  Gournay  came,  every  species  of  indignit) 
was  practised  against  him,  as  if  their  intention  had 
been  to  break  entirely  the  prince’s  spirit,  anti  to  em 
ploy  his  sorrows  and  afflictions,  instead  of  more  vio* 
lent  and  more  dangerous  expedients,  for  the  instru 
ments  of  his  murder.  But  as  this  method  of  destruc- 
tion appeared  too  slow  to  the  impatient  Mortimer,  he 


EDWARD  III. 


39 


lecretly  sent  orders  to  the  two  keepers>  who  were  at 
his  devotion,  instantly  to  despatch  him.  Taking  ad- 
vantage of  Berkeley's  sickness,  in  whose  custody  he 
12071  then  was,  and  who  was  thereby  incapacitated 
~ ■*  from  attending  his  charge,  they  came  to  Berke- 
ley castle,  and  putting  themselves  in  possession  of 
the  king's  person,  they  threw  him  on  a bed,  and  hold- 
ing him  down  with  a table,  thrust  into  his  furdament 
a red  hot  iron,  which  they  inserted  through  a horn, 
that  no  external  marks  of  violence  might  be  seen  on 
his  person.  The  dreadful  deed,  however,  was  discov 
ered  to  all  the  guards  and  attendants  by  the  screams 
with  which  the  agonizing  king  filled  the  castle,  while 
nis  bowels  were  consuming. 

Thus  died  Edward  II.,  than  whom  it  is  not  easy  to 
imagine  a more  innocent  and  inoffensive  man,  nor  a 
prince  less  capable  of  governing  a fierce  and  turbu- 
lent people.  Obliged  to  devolve  on  others  the  weight 
of  which  he  had  neither  ability  nor  inclination  to  bear, 
he  wanted  penetration  to  choose  ministers  and  favour- 
ites qualified  for  the  trust. 


CHAPTER.  VI. 

The  Reign  of  Edward  III. 

The  party  which  had  deposed  the  unfortunate  mon- 
arch, deemed  it  requisite  for  their  security,  to  obtain 
an  indemnity  from  parliament  for  all  their  proceed- 
ings. All  the  attainders,  also,  which  had  passed  against 
the  earl  of  Lancaster  and  his  adherents,  were  easily 
reversed  during  the  triumph  of  their  party.  A coun- 
cil of  regency  was  likewise  appointed  by  parliament, 
consisting  of  five  prelates  and  seven  lay  lords  ; and 
the  earl  of  Lancaster  was  nominated  guardian  of  the 
young  king,  Edward  III. 

Mortimer,  though  not  included  in  the  regency,  ren- 
dered that  council  entirely  useless,  by  usurping  to 
himself  the  whole  sovereign  authority.  He  never 
consulted  either  the  princes  of  the  blood  or  the  no- 
bility on  any  public  measure  ; and  he  affected  a state 
and  dignity  equal  or  superior  to  those  of  royalty.  Ed« 


100  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

ward,  who  had  attained  his  eighteenth  year,  repined 
at  the  fetters  in  which  he  was  held  by  this  insolent 
minister  ; but  so  much  was  he  surrounded  by  the  emis- 
saries of  Mortimer,  that  he  was  obliged  to  conduct 
the  project  for  subverting  him  with  the  greatest  se- 
crecy and  precaution.  The  queen-dowager,  and  Mor- 
timer lodged  in  the  castle  of  Nottingham ; the  king 
also  was  admitted,  though  with  a few  only  of  his  at- 
tendants ; and  as  the  castle  was  strictly  guarded,  it 
became  necessary  to  communicate  the  design  to  Sir 
William  Eland,  tin  governor,  who  zealously  took  part 
in  it.  By  his  direction,  the  king’s  associates  were  ad- 
mitted through  a subterraneous  passage  ; and  Morti- 
mer, without  having  it  in  his  power  to  make  resist- 
ance, was  suddenly  seized  in  an  apartment  adjoining 
to  the  queen’s.  A parliament  was  immediately  sum 
moned  for  his  condemnation  ; and  such  was  the  noto 
riety  of  his  infamous  conduct,  that  without  trial,  or 
examining  a witness,  he  was  sentenced  to  be  hanged 
on  a gibbet  at  the  Elms,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Lon- 
don. The  queen  was  confined  to  her  own  house  at 
Risings;  and  though  the  king,  during  the  remainder 
of  her  life,  paid  her  a visit  once  or  twice  a year,  she 
never  regained  any  credit  or  influence. 

Edward,  having  now  assumed  the  reigns  of  govern- 
13321  mcnt>  applied  himself  to  redress  all  those  griev- 
-*  ances  which  had  proceeded  from  the  late  abuse 
of  authority.  The  severity  with  which  he  caused  jus- 
tice to  be  administered,  soon  restored  the  kingdom  to 
internal  tranquillity ; and  in  proportion  as  the  govern 
ment  acquired  stability  at  home,  it  became  formida- 
ble to  its  neighbours.  Edward  made  a successful  ir- 
ruption into  Scotland,  for  the  purpose  of  reinstating 
Edward  Baliol  in  possession  of  the  crown  of  that 
kingdom  3 and  in  an  engagement  at  Halidown-hill,  a 
little  north  of  Berwick,  the  Scots  were  defeated, 
with  the  loss  of  nearly  thirty  thousand  men. 

It  had  long  been  a prevailing  opinion,  that  the  crown 
13371  France  ccmlcl  never  descend  to  a female,  and 
•*  this  maxim  was  supposed  to  be  confirmed  by  a 
clause  in  the  Salic  code  ; but  the  king  of  England,  at 
an  early  age,  embraced  a notion  that  he  was  entitled, 
in  right  of  his  mother,  to  the  succession  of  the  king- 
dom, and  that  the  claim  of  the  nephew  was  preferable 


EDWARD  III. 


101 


to  that  of  Philip  de  Valois,  the  cousin  german,  who 
nad  been  unanimously  placed  on  the  throne  of  France. 
His  own  claim,  however,  was  so  unreasonable,  and  so 
thoroughly  disavowed  by  the  whole  French  nation, 
that  it  is  probable  Edward  would  never  \ ave  prosecut- 
ed it,  had  not  some  jealousies  and  misunderstanding 
arisen  between  the  two  monarch?. 

Determined  to  engage  in  this  chimerical  attempt, 
the  king  began  with  opening  his  intentions  to  the  count 
of  Hainault,  his  father-in-law;  and  having  engaged 
him  in  hi^  interests,  he  employed  the  good  offices  and 
counsels  of  that  prince  in  drawing  into  his  alliance 
the  other  sovereigns  of  that  neighbourhood.  The 
duke  of  Brabant  was  induced,  by  his  mediation,  and 
by  large  remittances  of  money  from  England,  to  prom- 
ise his  concurrence;  the  archbishop  of  Cologne,  the 
duke  of  Gueldres,  the  marquis  of  Juliers,  the  count 
of  Namur,  the  lords  of  Fauquemont  and  Baquen, 
were  engaged  by  like  motives  to  embrace  the  English 
alliance.  These  sovereign  princes  could  supply,  eith- 
er from  their  own  states,  or  from  the  bordering  coun- 
tries, great  numbers  of  warlike  troops;  and  nothing 
was  wanting  to  make  the  force  on  that  quarter  very 
formidable,  but  the  accession  of  Flanders;  which  Ed- 
ward procured  by  means  rather  extraordinary  and  un- 
usual. 

After  consulting  his  parliament  and  obtaining  its 
consent,  Edward,  accompanied  by  a body  of  English 
forces,  and  by  several  of  his  nobility,  passed  over  to 
Flanders.  The  Flemings,  as  vassals  of  France,  pre- 
tending some  scruples  with  regard  to  the  invasion  of 
their  liege  lord,  Edward  assumed  the  title  of  king  of 
France;  but  he  did  not  venture  on  this  step  without 
hesitation  and  reluctance,  and  a presage  of  the  ca- 
lamities which  he  was  about  to  inflict  and  entail  on 
bolh  countries. 

The  first  attempts  of  the  king  were  unsuccessful ; 
but  he  was  a prince  of  too  much  spirit  to  be  discour- 
aged by  the  difficulties  of  an  undertaking.  By  con- 
firming the  ancient  charters,  and  the  privileges  of 
boroughs,  he  obtained  from  the  parliament  a consid 
erable  supply;  and  with  a fleet  of  two  hundred  and 
forty  sail,  he  again  embarked  for  the  continent.  Off 
Sluise  he  was  encountered  by  a French  fleet  consist 


102  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

ing  ol*  four  hundred  vessels.  The  inferiority  of  the 
English  in  number,  was  compensated  by  their  nauti 
cal  skill,  and  the  presence  of  their  monarch  The 
engagement  was  fierce  and  bloody  5 and  the  Flemings, 
near  whose  coast  the  action  took  place,  issued  from 
their  harbours,  and  reinforced  the  English.  Two  hun- 
dred and  thirty  French  ships  were  taken  3 and  thirty 
thousand  of  their  men  perished.  Numbers  now  flock- 
ed to  the  standard  of  Edward  ; and  with  an  army  of 
above  an  hundred  thousand  men,  he  inve^ed  Tour- 
nay.  That  place  had  been  provided  with  a garrison 
of  fourteen  thousand  men  3 but  after  the  "ege  had 
continued  ten  weeks,  the  city  was  reduced  to  istress  j 
and  Philip  advanced  towards  the  English  cam  , nt  the 
head  of  a mighty  host,  with  the  intention  of  avoiding  a * 
decisive  action,  but  of  throwing  succours  into  the 
place.  Both  armies  continued  in  sight  of  each  other 
without  engaging  j and,,  whilst  in  this  situation,  Jane, 
countess  dowager  of  Hainault,  interposed  her  good  of- 
fices in  order  to  prevent  the  effusion  of  blood.  This 
princess  was  mother-in-law  to  Edward,  and  sister  to 
Philip  3 and  her  pious  efforts  prevailed  on  them  both, 
though  they  could  not  lay  aside,  at  least  to  suspend 
their  animosities,  by  subscribing  a truce  for  twelve 
months. 

Edward  returned  to  England,  deeply  chagrined  at 
the  unfortunate  issue  of  his  military  operations  3 and 
he  vented  hi's  ill  humour  on  the  officers  of  the  reve- 
nue and  collectors  of  taxes,  hi  order  to  obtain  a new 
supply  from  the  parliament,  the  king  had  been  oblig- 
ed to  subscribe  to  nearly  the  same  restrictions  as  had 
Deen  imposed  on  Henry  III.  and  Edward  II.  No 
sooner,  however,  was  he  possessed  of  the  necessary 
supply,  than  he  revoked  and  annulled  his  concessions  j 
and  he  afterwards  obtained  from  his  parliament  a legal 
repeal  of  the  obnoxious  statute,  which  imposed  those 
restrictions.  Edward  had  experienced  so  many  mor- 
tifications in  his  war  with  France,  that  he  would 
probably  have  dropped  his  claim,  had  not  a revolution 
in  Brittany  opened  to  him  more  promising  views. 

John  III.,  duke  of  Brittany,  having  no  issue,  was* 
solicitous  to  prevent  those  disorders  to  which,  on  the  ■ 
event  of  his  demise,  a disputed  succession  might  ex  . 
oose  his  subjects.  For  that  purpose,  he  bestowed  h s 


EDWARD  III.  103 

niece,  whom  he  deemed  his  heir,  in  marriage  on 
Charles  of  Blois,  nephew  of  the  king  of  France  ; and 
all  his  vassals,  and  among  the  resjt  the  cotfnt  of  Mont- 
fort,  his  brother  by  a second  marriage,  swore  fealty  to 
Charles  and  to  his  consort  as  to  their  future  sove- 
reigns. But  on  the  death  of  the  aged  duke,  the  count 
of  Montfort  made  a voyage  to  England  ; and  offering 
to  do  homage  to  Edward  as  king  of  France,  for  the 
duchy  of  Brittany,  he  proposed  a strict  alliance  for 
the  support  of  their  mutual  pretensions.  Edward  im- 
mediately saw  the  advantages  attending  this  treaty  : 
and  it  required  a very  short  negotiation  to  conclude 
an  alliance  between  two  men,  who,  though  their  pleas 
with  regard  to  the  preference  of  male  or  female  suc- 
cession were  directly  opposite,  were  intimately  con 
nected  by  their  immediate  interests. 

Soon  after,  however,  Montfort  fell  into  the  hands  of 
enemies,  was  conducted  as  a prisoner  to 
Paris,  and  shut  up  in  the  Louvre.  This  event 
seemed  to  put  an  end  to  his  pretensions ; but  his  con- 
sort assembled  the  inhabitants  of  Rennes,  deplored  to 
them  the  calamity  of  their  sovereign,  and  entreated 
them  to  resist  an  usurper,  who  had  been  imposed  on 
them  by  the  arms  of  France.  Inspirited  by  the  noble 
conduct  of  the  princess,  the  states  of  Brittany  vowed 
to  live  and  die  with  her  in  defending  the  rights  of  her 
family.  The  countess  shut  herself  up  in  Hennebon- 
ne,  which  was  invested  by  Charles  of  Blois,  who,  af- 
ter several  reiterated  attacks,  was  compelled  to  abac 
don  the  siege  on  the  arrival  of  succours  from  Eng- 
land. 

After  the  death  o£  Robert  of  Artois,  whom  the  king 
of  England  had  despatched  to  Brittany  with  a consid 
erable  reinforcement,  Edward  undertook  in  person  the 
defence  of  the  countess  of  Montfort.  The  king  land- 
ed at  Morbian,  near  Vannes,  with  an  army  of  twelve 
thousand  men,  and  commenced  the  three  important 
sieges  of  Vannes,  of  Rennes,  and  of  Nantz  5 but  by 
undertaking  too  much,  he  failed  of  success  in  all  hio 
enterprises.  The  duke  of  Normandy,  eldest  son  of 
Philip  king  of  France,  appeared  in  Brittany  at  the 
head  of  an  army  of  thirty  thousand  infantry  and  four 
thousand  cavalry.  Edward  was  obliged  to  concen- 
trate his  forces,  and  to  entrench  himself  before  Van* 


104 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


nes,  where  the  duke  of  Normandy  soon  after  arrived 
and  in  a manner  invested  the  besiegers.  The  English 
drew  all  their  subsistence  from  England,  exposed  tc 
the  hazards  of  the  sea,  and  sometimes  to  those  which 
arose  from  the  fleet  of  the  enemy  j and,  in  this  dan- 
gerous situation,  Edward  willingly  accepted  the  me- 
diation of  the  pope’s  legates,  and  concluded  a truce 
for  three  years.  By  this  truce  all  prisoners  were  to 
be  released,  the  places  in  Brittany  to  remain  with 
their  present  possessors,  and  Vannes  was  to  be  se- 
questered into  the  hands  of  the  legates,  to  be  after- 
wards disposed  of  according  to  their  pleasure. 

The  truce,  however,  was  of  very  short  duration; 
13441  an^  each  monarch  endeavoured  to  inculpate  the 
other  for  its  infraction.  The  parliament,  whom 
Edward  affected  to  consult  on  all  occasions,  advised 
the  king  not  to  be  amused  by  a fraudulent  truce,  and 
granted  supplies  for  the  renewal  of  the  war.  The 
carl  of  Derby,  with  an  English  army,  was  sent  into 
134f  1 Guienne  ; but  Edward,  iaformed  of  the  great 
-*  danger  to  which  that  province  was  exposed 
from  the  duke  of  Normandy,  prepared  a force  for  its 
relief.  He  embarked  at  Southampton,  with  his  son 
the  prince  of  Wales,  and  the  flower  of  his  nobility  ; 
but  the  winds  proving  contrary,  he  was  prevailed  on  to 
change  the  destination  of  his  enterprise  ; and  ordering 
his  fleet  to  sail  to  Normandy,  he  safely  disembarked 
his  forces  at  La  Hogue.  Edward  spread  his  army  over 
the  whole  country,  defeated  a body  of  troops  that  had 
been  collected  for  the  defence  of  Caen,  and  took  and 
plundered  that  rich  city.  He  moved  next  towards 
Rouen ; but  he  found  the  bridge  over  the  Seine  broken 
down,  and  the  king  of  France  encrftnped  on  the  oppo- 
site bank  with  an  army  of  one  hundred  thousand  men. 

Edward  perceived  that  the  French  intended  to  in- 
close him  in  their  country  ; and  therefore,  by  a secret 
and  rapid  movement,  he  gained  Poissy,  passed  the 
Seine,  and  advanced  by  quick  marches  towards  Flan- 
ders. But  as  he  approached  the  Somme,  he  found 
himself  in  the  same  difficulty  as  before  ; all  the  bridges 
on  that  river  were  either  broken  down  or  strongly 
guarded;  and  an  army  was  stationed  on  the  opposite 
oanks.  The  promise  of  a reward  induced  a peasant 
.o  betray  the  interests  of  his  country,  and  to  inform 


EDWARD  III. 


105 


Edward  of  a ford  below  Abbeville.  The  king  tlirev* 
himself  into  the  river  at  the  head  of  his  troops,  drove 
the  enemy  from  their  station,  and  pursued  them  to  a 
distance  on  the  plain.  As  the.  fear-guard  of  the  Eng 
lish  passed,  the  French  army  under  Philip  arrived  3 
the  ford  ; and  Edward,  sensible  that  an  engagement 
was  unavoidable,  adopted  a prudent  resolution.  He 
chose  his  ground  with  advantage,  near  the  village  of 
Crecy,*  drew  up  his  army  on  a gentle  ascent,  and  di 
vided  them  into  three  lines  : the  first  was  commanded 
by  the  prince  of  Wales,  and  under  him  by  the  earls 
of  Warwick  and  Oxford,  and  other  noblemen  ; the  se- 
cond, by  the  earls  of  Arundel  and  Northampton;  and 
the  third  j by  the  king  himself.  His  flanks  were  secur- 
ed by  trenches  ; and  according  to  some  historians, 
several  pieces  of  artillery  were  placed  in  his  front. 

The  French  army  imperfectly  formed,  and  already 
fatigued  and  disordered,  arrived  in  presence  of  the  en- 
emy. The  first  line,  consisting  of  fifteen  thousand 
Genoese  cross-bow  men,  was  commanded  by  Antho- 
ny Doria  and  Charles  Grimaldi ; the  second  was  led 
by  the  count  of  Alengon,  brother  to  the  king  ; and  at 
the  head  of  the  third  was  Philip  himself,  accompanied 
by  the  kings  of  Bohemia,  of  the  Romans,  and  of  Major- 
ca, with  all  the  nobility  and  great  vassals  of  the  crown 
of  France.  The  battle  became,  for  some  time,  hot  and 
dangerous;  and  the  earl  of  Warwick,  apprehensive 
of  the  event  from  the  superior  numbers  of  the  French, 
despatched  a messenger  to  the  king,  and  entreated 
him  to  send  succours  to  the  relief  of  the  prince  of 
Wales.  Edward  had  chosen  his  station  on  the  top  of 
the  hill  ; and  he  surveyed  in  tranquillity  the  scene  of  ac- 
tion. When  the  messenger  accosted  him,  his  first  ques 
tion  was,  whether  the  prince  was  slain  or  wounded 
On  receiving  an  answer  in  the  negative,  “ Return/7 
said  he,  u to  my  son,  and  tell  him  that  I reserve  the  hon- 
our of  the  day  to  him  : I am  confident  that  he  will  show 
himself  worthy  of  the  honour  of  knighthood  which  I so 
lately  conferred  upon  him  : he  will  be  able  without 
my  assistance,  to  repel  the  enemy.77  This  speech  be- 
ing reported  to  the  prince  and  his  attendants,  inspired 


* The  battle  of  Crecy,  which  was  fought  Aug.  26,  began  at 
ee  o’clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  lasted  till  dark. 


106 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


them  with  fresh  courage  : they  made  an  attack  with  re* 
doubled  vigour  on  the  French,  in  which  the  count  of 
Alein^on  was  slain.  In  vain  the  king  of  . France  ad* 
vanced  with  the  rear- to  sustain  the  line  commanded 
by  his  brother.  The  whole  French  army  took  to 
flight,  and  was  followed  and  put  to  the  sword,  without 
mercy,  by  the  enemy,  till  the  darkness  of  the  night 
put  an  end  to  the  pursuit.  The  king,  on  his  return  to 
the  camp,  flew  into  the  arms  of  the  prince  of  Wales, 
and  exclaimed,  “ My  brave  son  ! persevere  in  your 
honourable  cause  : you  are  my  son  3 for  valiantly  have 
you  acquitted  yourself  to-day  : you  have  shown  your- 
self worthy  of  empire.” 

Iri  this  battle  there  fell,  by  a moderate  computation, 
twelve  hundred  French  knights,  fourteen  hundred  gen- 
tlemen., four  thousand  men  at  arms,  besides  about 
thirty  thousand  of  inferior  rank  : many  of  the  princi- 
pal nobility  of  France,  the  dukes  of  Lorraine  and 
Bourbon,  the  earls  of  Flanders,  Blois,  Vaudemont, 
Aumale.  were  left  on  the  field  of  battle.  The  kings 
also  of  Bohemia  and  Majorca  were  slain.  The  former 
was  blind  from  age  3 but  being  resolved  to  hazard  his 
person,  and  set  an  example  to  others,  he  ordered  the 
reins  of  his  bridle  to  be  tied  on  each  side  to  the  horses 
of  two  gentlemen  of  his  train  3 and  his  dead  body,  and 
those  of  his  attendants,  were  afterwards  found  among 
the  slain,  with  their  horses  standing  by  them  in  that 
situation.  His  crest  was  three  ostrich  feathers  3 and 
his  motto  these  German  words,  Ich  dien.  I serve : 
which  the  prince  of  Wales  and  his  successors  adopted 
in  memorial  of  this  great  victory. 

The  great  prudence  of  Edward  appeared  not  only  in 
obtaining  this  memorable  victory,  but  in  the  measures 
which  he  pursued  after  it.  Not  elated  by  his  present 
prosperity,  so  far  as  to  expect  the  total  conquest  of 
France,  or  even  that  of  any  considerable  provinces,  he 
limited  his  ambition  to  the  conquest  of  Calais  j and 
after  the  interval  of  a few  days,  which  he  employed  in 
interring  the  slain,  he  marched  with  his  victorious  ar- 
my, and  presented  himself  before  that  place. 

John  of  Vienne,  a valiant  knight  of  Burgundy,  was 
governor  of  Calais,  and  being  supplied  with  every 
thing  necessary  for  defence,  he  encouraged  the  towns- 
men to  perform  to  tie  utmost  their  duty  to  their  king 


EDWARD  III. 


107 


and  country.  Edward,  therefore,  sensible  from  the 
beginning  that  it  was  in  vain  to  attempt  the  place  by 
force,  purposed  only  to  reduce  it  by  famine.  This 
6iege  employed  him  nearly  twelve  months  3 and  dur- 
ing this  interval,  there  passed  in  different  places  many 
other  events,  all  of  which  redounded  to  the  honour  of 
the  English  arms.  In  vain  Philip  attempted  to  relieve 
Calais  at  the  head  of  two  hundred  thousand  men. 
Thrt  fortress  was  now  reduced  to  the  last  extremity 
by  famine  and  the  fatigue  of  the  inhabitants  ; but  Ed- 
j34n  ward  insisted  that  six  of  the  most  considerable 
1 -*  citizens  should  atone  for  the  obstinacy  of  the 
rest,  by  submitting  their  lives  to  his  disposal,  and  by 
presenting,  with  ropes  about  their  necks,  the  keys  of 
the  city.  This  intelligence  struck  the  inhabitants 
with  new  consternation.  At  length,  Eustace  de  St. 
Pierre,  whose  name  deserves  to  be  recorded,  declar- 
ed himself  willing  to  encounter  death  for  the  safety  of 
his  friends  and  companions  : the  generous  flame  was 
communicated  to  others  3 and  the  whole  number  was 
soon  completed.  They  appeared  before  Edward  in 
the  guise  of  malefactors  j but  at  the  intercession  of 
his  queen  Philippa,  these  excellent  citizens  were  dis- 
missed with  presents. 

To  secure  the  possession  of  Calais,  Edward  order- 
ed all  the  inhabitants  to  quit  the  town,  and  peopled  it 
anew  with  English  ; a policy  which  probably  secured 
that  important  fortress  so  long  to  his  successors. 
Through  the  mediation  of  the  pope’s  legates,  he  soon 
after  concluded  a truce  with  France  3 and  on  his  re- 
turn to  England,  he  instituted  the  Order  of  the  Garter. 
The  number  received  into  this  order  consisted  of 
twenty-five  persons,  besides  the  sovereign.  A vulgar 
story  prevails,  but  is  not  supported  by  authority,  that, 
at  a court-ball,  the  king’s  mistress,  the  countess  of 
Salisbury,  dropped  her  garter  5 and  Edward  taking  it 
up,  observed  some  of  the  courtiers  to  smile,  upon 
which  he  called  out,  Honi  soil  qui  mal  y pense,  “ Evil 
to  him  that  evil  thinks  j”  and  in  memorial  of  this 
event,  he  instituted  the  Order  of  the  Garter,  with  these 
words  for  its  motto. 

During  the  truce  between  France  and  England, 
• oka-i  Philip  de  Valois  died,  and  was  succeeded  in  the 
00  ■*  throne  by  his  son  John  who  was  distinguished 


\ 

108  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

by  many  virtues,  but  was  destitute  of  that  master!} 
prudence  which  the  situation  of  the  kingdom  requir- 
ed. The  chief  source  of  the  intestine  calamities  of 
France  was  Charles  king  of  Navarre,  who  received 
the  epithet  of  “ wicked,”  and  whose  conduct  fully 
entitled  him  to  that  appellation,  though  he  possessed 
talents  of  the  very  first  order,  if  they  had  been  hon- 
ourably directed.  This  prince  did  not  conceal  his 
pretensions,  in  right  of  his  mother,  to  the  throne  of 
France,  and  increased  the  number  of  his  partisans 
throughout  the  kingdom.  He  even  seduced,  by  his 
address,  Charles,  the  eldest  son  of  John,  who  was  the 
first  that  bore  the  name  of  dauphin.  But  Charles  was 
made  sensible  of  the  folly  and  danger  of  the  connex- 
ion ; and  in  concert  with  his  father,  he  invited  the 
king  of  Navarre,  and  other  noblemen  of  the  party,  to 
an  entertainment  at  R.ouen,  where  they  were  betrayed 
into  the  hands  of  John.  Some  of  the  latter  were  im- 
mediately led  to  execution  ; and  the  king  of  Navarre 
was  thrown  into  prison.  Philip,  the  brother  of  the 
king  of  Navarre,  flew  to  arms,  and  implored  the  pro- 
tection of  England  ; and  as  the  truce  was  expired, 
Edward  was  at  liberty  to  support  the  French  malcon- 
tents. Whilst  the  king  himself  ravaged  Picardy,  the 
Scots,  taking  advantage  of  his  absence,  collected  an 
army  for  an  incursion  against  England.  Edward, 
therefore,  returned  to  defend  that  kingdom  against  the 
threatened  invasion  ; and  after  burning  and  destroying 
the  whole  country  from  Berwick  to  Edinburgh,  he  in- 
duced Baliol  to  resign  the  crown  of  Scotland  into  his 
* hands,  in  consideration  of  an  annual  pension  of  two 
thousand  pounds. 

In  the  mean  time,  young  Edward,  accompanied  by 
n . the  earls  of  Warwick  and  Salisbury , had  arrived 
IdooJ  -n  ty)e  Garonne,  with  three  hundred  sail.  Be- 
ing joined  by  the  vassals  of  Gascony,  he  reduced  all 
the  villages  and  several  towns  of  Languedoc  to  ashes. 
In  a second  compaign,  at  the  head  of  twelve  thousand 
men,  he  penetrated  into  the  heart  of  France  ; when 
he  was  informed  that  the  French  king  was  approach- 
ing with  an  army  of  sixty  thousand  men. 

Near  Poictiers,  prince  Edward  prepared  for  battle 
with  equal  courage  and  prudence;  but  the  most  splen 
did  military  qualities  could  rot  have  extricated  him. 


I 


EDWARD  III. 


103 


if  the  French  had  availed  themselves  of  their  superi- 
or numbers,  and  contented  themselves  with  intercept- 
ing his  provisions.  So  sensible,  indeed,  was  the 
prince  of  his  desperate  condition,  that  he  offered  to 
purchase  his  retreat  by  ceding  all  his  conquests,  and 
by  stipulating  not  to  serve  against  France  for  seven 
years  ; but  John  required  that  he  should  surrender 
himself  prisoner  with  one  hundred  of  his  attendants. 
The  prince  rejected  this  proposal  with  disdain,  and 
declared  that  England  should  never  be  obliged  to  pay 
the  price  of  his  ransom. 

All  hopes  of  accommodation  being  at  an  end,  the 
prince  of  Wales  strengthened  by  new  entrenchments 
the  post  which  he  had  before  so  judiciously  chosen; 
knd  contrived  an  ambush  of  three  hundred  men  at 
arms,  and  as  many  archers,  whom  he  put  under  the 
command  of  the  Captal  de  Buche,  and  ordered  to 
make  a circuit,  that  they  might  fall  on  the  flank  or 
rear  of  the  French  army  during  the  engagement.  The 
van  of  his  army  was  commanded  by  the  earl  of  War- 
wick, the  rear  by  the  earls  of  Salisbury  and  Suffolk, 
/he  main  body  by  the  prince  himself. 

John  also  arranged  his  forces  in  three  divisions : 
the  first  was  commanded  by  the  duke  of  Orleans,  the 
king’s  brother  3 the  second  by  the  dauphin,  attended 
by  his  two  younger  brothers;  the  third  by  the  king 
himself,  who  had  by  his  side  Philip,  his  fourth  and  fa- 
vourite son,  then  about  fourteen  years  of  age.  There 
was  no  reaching  the  English  army  but  through  a nar- 
row lane,  covered  on  each  side  by  hedges;  and  in. 
order  to  open  this  passage,  the  mareschals  Andrehen 
and  Clermont  were  ordered  to  advance  with  a separate 
detachment  of  men  at  arms.  While  they  marched 
along  the  lane,  a body  of  English  archers,  who  lined 
the  hedges,  plied  them  on  each  side  with  their  arrows  ; 
and  being  very  near  them,  yet  placed  in  perfect  safe- 
ty, they  coolly  took  their  aim  against  the  enemy,  and 
slaughtered  them  with  impunity.  The  French  de- 
tachment, much  discouraged  by  the  unequal  combat, 
and  diminished  in  their  number,  arrived  at  the  end  of 
the  lane,  where  they  met  on  the  open  ground  the 
prince  of  Wales  himself,  at  the  head  of  a chosen 
body.,  ready  for  their  reception.  They  were  discom- 
fited and  overthrown ; on<?  of  the  mareschals  was 


* iO 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


slain,  the  other  taken  prisoner,  and  the  remainder  of 
the  detachment,  who  were  still  in  the  lane,  and  expos- 
ed to  the  shot  of  the  enemy,  without  being  able  to 
make  resistance,  recoiled  upon  their  own  army,  and 
put  every  thing  into  disorder.  In  the  critical  moment 
the  Captal  de  Buche  unexpectedly  appeared, and  attack- 
ed in  flank  the  dauphin's  line,  which  fell  into  some  con- 
fusion. Landas,  Bodenai,  and  St.  Venant,  to  whom  the 
care  of  that  young  prince  and  his  brothers  had  been 
committed,  too  anxious  for  their  charge,  or  for  their 
own  safety,  carried  them  off  the  field,  and  set  the  ex- 
ample of  flight,  which  was  followed  by  that  whole  divi- 
sion. The  duke  of  Orleans,  seized  with  a like  panic, 
and  imagining  all  was  lost,  thought  no  longer  of  fight- 
ing, but  carried  off  his  division  by  a retreat,  which 
soon  turned  into  a flight.  The  division  under  king 
John  was  more  numerous  than  the  whole  English  ar- 
my ; and  the  only  resistance  made  that  day  was  by 
his  line  of  battle.  The  prince  of  Wales  fell  with 
impetuosity  on  some  German  cavalry  placed  in  the 
front;  a fierce  battle  ensued,  but  at  length  that  body 
of  cavalry  gave  way,  and  left  the  king  himself  expos- 
ed to  the  whole  fury  of  the  enemy.  The  ranks  were 
every  moment  thinned  around  him  ; the  nobles  fell 
by  his  side  one  after  another:  his  son,  scarcely  four- 
teen years  of  age,  received  a wound  whilst  fighting 
valiantly  in  defence  of  his  father.  The  king  himself 
spent  with  fatigue,  and  overwhelmed  by  numbers, 
might  easily  have  been  slain  ; but  every  English  gen- 
tleman, ambitious  of  taking  alive  the  royal  prisoner, 
spared  him  in  the  action,  exhorted  him  to  surrender, 
and  offered  him  quarter.  Several  who  attempted  to 
seize  him  suffered  for  their  temerity.  He  still  cried 
out,  “ Where  is  my  cousin,  the  prince  of  Wales?" 
and  seemed  unwilling  to  become  prisoner  to  any  per- 
son of  inferior  rank  ; but  being  told  that  the  prince 
was  at  a distance,  he  threw  down  his  gauntlet,  and 
yielded  himself,  together  with  his  son,  to  Dennis  de 
Morbec,  a knight  of  Arras. 

The  moderation  displayed  by  Edward  on  this  occa- 
sion, has  for  ever  stamped  his  character.  At  a repast 
prepared  in  his  tent  for  his  prisoner,  he  served  at  the 
royal  captive’g  table,  as  if  he  had  been  one  of  his  ret- 
inue ; he  stood  behind  the  king’s  chair,  and  refused 


EDWARD  III. 


Ill 


to  be  seated.  All  his  father's  pretensions  to  the  crown 
of  France  were  buried  in  oblivion  ; and  John  received 
when  a captive,  those  honours  which  had  been  denied 
him  when  on  a throne. 

The  prince  of  Wales  concluded  a truce  of  two  years 
. with  France,  that  he  might  conduct  the  captive 
king  with  safety  into  England.  He  landed  at 
Southwark,  and  was  met  by  a great  concourse  of  people 
of  all  ranks.  The  prisoner  was  clad  in  royal  apparel, 
and  mounted  on  a white  steed,  distinguished  by  its 
size  and  beauty,  and  by  the  richness  of  its  furniture. 
The  conqueror  rode  by  his  side  in  a meaner  attire,  on 
a black  palfry.  In  this  situation  he  passed  through  the 
streets  of  London,  and  presented  the  king  of  France  to 
his  father,  who  advanced  to  meet  him,  and  received 
him  with  the  same  courtesy  as  if  he  had  voluntarily 
paid  him  a visit. 

The  captivity  of  John  produced  in  France  the  most 
horrible  anarchy.  Every  man  was  thrown  loose  and 
independent  of  his  fellows;  and  licentiousness  reigned 
without  control.  At  length,  in  a conference  between 
the  English  and  French  commissioners  at  Bretigni,  a 
peace  between  the  two  nations  was  concluded  on  the 
following  conditions.  It  was  stipulated  that  king  John 
should  be  restored  to  his  liberty,  and  should  pay  as  his 
ransom  three  millions  of  crowns  of  gold;*  that  the 
king  of  England  should  forever  renounce  all  claim  to 
the  crown  of  France,  and  to  the  provinces  of  Norman- 
dy, Maine,  Touraine,  and  Anjou,  possessed  by  his  an- 
cestors, and  should  receive  in  exchange  the  provinces* 
of  Poictou,  Xaintonge,  PAgenois,  Perigort,  the  Li- 
mousin, Quercy,  Rovergue,  PAngoumois,  and  other 
districts  in  that  quarter,  together  with  Calais,  Guisnes, 
Montreuil,  and  the  county  of  Ponthieu,  on  the  other 
side  of  France  ; that  Edward  should  renounce  his  con- 
federacy with  the  Flemings,  and  John  his  connex- 
ions with  the  Scots;  and  that  forty  hostages  should 
be  sent  to  England  as  a security  for  the  execution  of 
these  conditions. 

John  no  sooner  regained  his  liberty,  than  he  prepar- 
ed to  execute  the  terms  with  that  fidelity  and 


1360] 


honour  by  which  he  was  characterized.  How- 


About  a million  and  a half  of  our  present  sterling  money. 


112 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


ever,  notwithstanding  his  endeavouis,  many  difficut 
ties  occurred  in  fulfilling  his  purposes ; and,  therefore, 
in  order  to  adjust  some  disputes,  he  formed  a resolu- 
tion  of  coming  over  to  England.  His  council  endeav- 
oured to  dissuade  him  from  this  design  ; but  he  replied, 
11  that  though  good  faith  were  banished  from  the  rest 
of  the  earth,  she  ought  still  to  retain  her  habitation  in 
the  breast  of  princes.”  John  therefore  came  to  Lon- 
don, and  was  lodged  in  the  Savoy,  where  he  fell  sick 
and  died. 

John  was  succeeded  in  the  throne  by  Charles  the 
13GI1  Dauphin,  who  immediately  directed  his  atten- 
° J tion  to  the  internal  disorders  which  afflicted  his 
kingdom.  His  fhief  obstacle  proceeded  from  large 
bands  of  military  adventurers,  who  had  followed  the 
standard  of  Edward,  but  who,  on  the  conclusion  of 
peace,  refused  to  lay  down  their  arms,  persevered  in  a 
life  of  rapine,  and  associating  themselves  under  the 
name  of  “companions/7  were  a terror  to  the  country 
At  length,  they  enlisted  under  the  standard  of  Du 
Guesclin,  who  led  them  against  Peter  the  Cruel,  king 
of  Castile.  Peter  fled  from  his  dominions,  sought  ref- 
uge in  Guienne,  and  craved  the  protection  of  the 
prince  of  Wales,  whom  his  father  had  invested  with 
the  sovereignty  of  these  conquered  countries,  by  the 
title  of  the  principality  of  Aquitaine.  That  prince 
promised  his  assistance  to  the  dethroned  monarch,  and 
recalled  the  companions  from  the  service  of  Henry  of 
Transtamare,  whom  they  had  placed  on  the  throne  of 
Castile.  Henry  encountered  the  English  prince  at 
Najara,  and  was  defeated  with  the  loss  of  more  than 
twenty  thousand  men.  Peter  was  restored  to  the 
throne  5 but  the  ungrateful  tyrant  refused  the  stipulated 
pay  to  the  English  forces  ; and  Edward  returned  to 
Guienne,  with  a diminished  army,  and  his  constitution 
fatally  impaired  by  the  climate.  The  barbarities  exer- 
cised by  Peter  over  his  subjects,  revived  all  the  ani- 
mosity of  the  Castilians  j and  the  tyrant  was  again  de- 
throned, and  put  to  death. 

Prince  Edward,  by  this  rash  expedition,  had  involv- 
ed himself  in  so  much  debt,  that  he  found  it  necessary, 
on  his  return,  to  impose  oh  Aquitaine  a new  tax  on 
hearths.  The  people,  disgusted  by  this  measure,  car- 
ried their  complaints  to  Charles,  their  ancient  sove- 


EDWARD  III. 


113 


reign,  as  to  their  lord  paramount,  against  these  oppres- 
sions of  the  English  government.  By  the  treaty  of 
Bretigne,  the  king  of  France  had  renounced  all  claims 
to  the  homage  and  fealty  due  for  Guienne,  and  the 
other  provinces,  ceded  to  the  English  3 but,  on  this 
occasion,  Charles  affected  to  consider  himself  as  supe- 
rior lord  of  those  provinces,  and  summoned  Edward  to 
appear  at  his  court  at  Paris,  and  justify  his  conduct  to 
his  vassals.  The  prince  briefly  replied,  that  he  would 
come  to  Paris,  but  that  it  should  be  at  the  head  of 
sixty  thousand  men. 

Charles  fell  upon  Ponthieu,  while  his  brothers,  the 
dukes  of  Berri  and  Anjou,  invaded  the  southern  prov- 
inces. In  one  action,  Chandos,  the  oonstable  of  Gui 
enne,  was  slain  ; and  in  another,  the  Captal  de  Buche 
was  taken  prisoner.  The  state  of  the  prince  of  Wales'* 
health  rendered  him  unable  to  mount  on  horseback, 
or  exert  his  usual  activity  3 and  his  increasing  infirmi- 
ties compelled  him  to  resign  the  command  of  the 
army,  and  return  to  his  native  country.  Edward,  from 
^ie  necessity  of  his  affairs,  was  obliged  to  con 
-*  elude  a truce,  after  seeing  almost  all  his  ancient 
possessions  in  France  ravished  from  him,  except  Bour- 
deaux  and  Bayonne,  and  all  his  conquests, except  Calais. 

The  decline  of  the  king's  power  corresponded  no! 
with  the  preceding  parts  of  it.  Besides  the  loss  of 
his  foreign  dominions,  he  felt  the  decay  of  his  author 
ity  at  home.  During  the  vigour  of  age,  he  had  been 
chiefly  occupied  by  war  and  ambition  3 but,  in  his  lat 
ter  years,  he  began  to  indulge  himself  in  pleasure. 
After  a lingering  illness,  the  prince  of  Wales  died,  in 
the  forty-sixth  year  of  his  age,  leaving  a character 
illustrious  for  eve.ry  eminent  virtue,  and  unstained  by 
any  blemish.  His  valour  and  military  talents  formed 
the  smallest  part  of  his  merit  3 his  generosity,  human- 
ity, affability,  and  moderation,  gained  him  the  affec- 
tions of  all  men-j  and  he  was  qualified  to  throw  a lus- 
tre not  only  on  the  rude  age  in  which  he  lived,  but  on 
the  most  shining  period  either  of  ancient  or  modern 
history.  The  king  survived  about  a year  this  melan- 
choly incident:  he  expired  in  the  sixty-fifth  year  of  his 
age,  and  the  fifty-first  of  his  reign  ; and  the  people  were 
then  sensible,  though  too  la*e,  of  the  irreparable  loss 
which  they  had  sustained.  • 


1 14 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


The  English  are  apt  to  consider  with  peculiar  fond- 
ness the  history  of  Edward  the  Third,  and  to  esteem 
his  reign,  as  it  was  one  of  the  longest,*  the  most  glori- 
ous also  in  the  annals  of  their  nation.  The  ascendan 
cy  which  they  then  began  to  acquire  over  France, 
their  rival  and  natural  enemy,  makes  them  cast  their 
eves  on  this  period  with  great  complacency,  and  sanc- 
tifies every  measure  which  Edward  embraced  for  that 
end.  But  the  domestic  government  of  this  prince  is 
really  more  admirable  than  his  foreign  victories  j and 
England  enjoyed,  by  the  prudence  and  vigour  of  his 
government,  a longer  interval  of  domestic  peace  and 
tranquillity  than  she  had  been  blest  with  in  any  former 
period,  or  than  she  experienced  for  many  ages  after. 
He  gained  the  affections  of  the  great,  yet  curbed  their 
licentiousness  : his  affable  and  obliging  behaviour,  his 
munificence  and  generosity,  induced  them  to  submit 
with  pleasure  to  his  dominion ; and  his  valour  and  con- 
duct rendered  them  successful  in  most  of  their  enter- 
prises. His  foreign  wars  were  neither  founded  in 
justice,  nor  directed  to  any  salutary  purpose  ; but  the 
glory  of  a conqueror  is  so  dazzling  to  the  vulgar,  the 
animosity  of  nations  is  so  violent,  that  the  fruitless 
desolation  of  so  fine  a part  of  Europe  as  France,  is 
totally  disregarded  by  us,  and  is  never  considered  as 
a blemish  in  the  character  or  conduct  of  this  prince. 

Edward  had  a numerous  posterity  by  his  queen, 
Philippa  of  Hainault.  His  eldest  son  was  the  heroic 
Edward,  usually  denominated  the  Black  Prince,  from 
the  colour  of  his  armour.  This  prince  espoused  his 
cousin  Joan,  commonly  called  the  “ Fair  Maid  of 
Kent,  daughter  and  heir  of  his  uncle,  the  earl  of  Kent,” 
who  was  beheaded  in  the  beginning  of  this  reign.  By 
her,  the  prince  of  Wales  had  a son,  Richard,  who  suc- 
ceeded his  grandfather. 

The  second  son  of  king  Edward  was  Lionel,  duke 
of  Clarence,  who,  dying  while  still  young,  left  only 
one  daughter,  married  to  Edward  Mortimer,  earl  of 
Marche.  Of  all  the  family,  he  resembled  most  his 
father  and  elder  brother  in  his  noble  qualities. 

Edward’s  third  son  was  John  of  Gaunt,  so  called 


* It  is  the  longest  reign  in  English  history,  excepting  that  of 
George  the  Third 


EDWARD  III. 


J1J 


from  the  place  of  his  birth  : he  was  created  duke  of 
' Lancaster;  and  from  him  sprang  that  branch  which 
afterwards  possessed  the  crown.  The  fourth  son  of 
this  royaj  family  was  Edmund,  created  duke  of  York  j 
and  the  fifth  was  Thomas,  who  received  the  title  of 
duke  of  Gloucester.  By  his  queen,  Edward  had  also 
four  daughters,  Isabella,  Joan,  Mary,  and  Margaret, 
all  of  whom  arrived  at  years  of  maturity,  and  married. 

During  the  reign  of  Edward,  the  parliament  rose  to 
greater  consideration  than  it  had  experienced  in  any 
ferine r time  ; and  even  the  house  of  commons,  which, 
durwig  turbulent  and  factious  periods,  was  naturally 
depressed  by  the  greater  power  of  the  crown  and  bar- 
ons, began  to  assume  its  rank  in  the  constitution. 

One  of  the  most  popular  laws  enacted  by  any  prince, 
was  the  statute  which  passed  in  the  twenty-fifth  year 
of  king  Edward’s  reign,  and  which  limited  the  cases 
of  high  treason  to  three  principal  heads  : conspiring 
the  deat.t  of  the  king,  levying  war  against  him,  and 
adhering  vo  his  enemies. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


The  reigns  of  Richard  II. , Henry  IV.,  and  Henry  V. 

Richard  II.,  the  son  of  Edward  the  Black  Prince, 
was  only  e’even  years  of  age  when  his  grand- 
-*  father  died;  and  as  the  late  king  had  taken  no 
care  to  establish  a plan  of  government  during  the  mi- 
nority of  his  grandson,  it  behooved  the  parliament  to 
supply  the  defect.  On  this  occasion,  the  commons 
took  the  lead;  and  at  their  requisition  the  house  of 
lords  appointed  a council  of  nine,  to  whom  they  gave 
authority  for  a year  to  direct  the  public  business,  and  to 
inspect  the  education  of  the  young  prince.  The  gov- 
ernment was  conducted  entirely  in  the  king’s  name; 
no  regency  was  expressly  appointed;  and  the  whole 
system  was  for  some  years  kept  together -by  the  secret 
authority  of  the  king’s  uncles,  especially  of  the  duke 
of  Lancaster. 

Edward  had  left  his  grandson  involved  in  many  dan* 
gerous  wars.  The  pretensions  of  the  duke  of  Luncas- 


J 


i 16 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND 


ter  to  the  crown  of  Castile  made  that  kingdom  perse 
vere  in  hostilities  against  England.  Scotland  main 
tained  such  close  connections  with  France,  that  vvai 
with  one  crown  almost  inevitably  produced  hostilities 
with  the  other.  Charles  the  Fifth,  indeed,  was  dead, 
and  his  son  Charles  the  Sixth  was  a minor.  The  duke* 
of  Lancaster  conducted  an  army  into  Brittany  5 and 
the  duke  of  Gloucester,  with  only  two  thousand  cav- 
alry, and  eight  thousand  infantry,  penetrated  into  the 
heart  of  France  j but,  though  the  French  were  over- 
awed by  the  former  successes  of  the  English,  these 
enterprises  proved  in  the  issue  unsuccessful. 

The  expenses  of  these  armaments  greatly  exhaust- 
ed the  English  treasury  5 and  the  parliament  imposed 
a tax  of  three  groats  on  every  person  above  fifteen 
years  of  age.  This  impost  produced  a most  serious 
revolt.  A spirit  of  independence  had  been  excited 
among  the  people,  who  had  this  distich  frequency  in 
their  mouths : 

“ When  Adam  delv’d  and  Eve  span, 

“ Where  was  then  the  gentleman 

At  this  time  the  tax-gatherers  demanded  of  a black- 
smith of  Essex,  payment  for  his  daughter,  whom  he 
asserted  to  be  under  the  age  assigned  by  the  statute. 
One  of  the  collectors  offered  to  produce  a very  inde- 
cent proof  to  the  contrary,  and  laid  hold  of  the  maid  3 
which  the  father  resenting,  immediately  knocked  out 
the  ruffian’s  brains  with  his  hammer.  The  spectators 
applauded  the  action,  and  exclaimed  that  it  was  time 
to  take  vengeance  on  their  tyrants,  and  to  vindicate 
their  liberty.  The  people  flew  to  arms  5 and  the  se- 
dition spread  from  the  county  of  Essex  into  that  of 
Kent,  of  Hertford.  Surry,  Sussex,  Suffolk,  Norfolk, 
Cambridge,  and  Lincoln.  The  leaders,  assuming  the 
feigned  names  of  Wat  Tyler,  Jack  Straw,  Hob  Car- 
ter, and  Tom  Miller,  committed  the  most  outrageous 
violence  on  the  gentry  and  nobility  that  had  the  mis- 
fortune to  fall  into  their  hands.  The  mutinous  popu- 
lace, amounting  to  one  hundred  thousand  men,  assem- 
bled on  Blackheatb,  under  their  leaders,  Tyler  and 
Straw,  broke  into  the  city,  and  required  of  the  king 
the  abolition  of  slavery,  i.eedom  of  commerce  in 


RICHARD  U. 


in 


market-towns  without  toll  or  impost,  and  a fixed  rent 
of  lands,  instead  of  the  services  of  villanage. 

These  requisitions  were  complied  with;  and  char 
ters  to  that  purpose  were  granted  to  them.  A party 
of  the  insurgents,  however,  broke  into  the  tower,  mur- 
dered several  persons  of  distinction,  and  continued 
their  ravages  in  the  city.  The  king,  passing  along 
Smithfield,  very  slenderly  guarded,  met  with  Wat  Ty- 
ler, at  the  head  of  the  tnob,  and  entered  into  a confer 
ence  with  him.  Tyler  having  ordered  his  companions 
to  retire  till  he  should  give  them  a signal,  when  they 
were  to  murder  all  the  company,  except  the  king  him- 
self, whom  they  were  to  detain  prisoner,  fearlessly 
came  into  the  midst  or  the  royal  retinue.  He  there 
behaved  himself  in  such  a manner,  that  Walworth,  the 
mayor  of  London,  unable  to  bear  his  insolence,  drew 
his  sword,  and  struck  him  to  the  ground,  where  he 
was  instantly  despatched  by  others  of  the  king's  at- 
tendants. The  mutineers,  seeing  their  leader  fall, 
prepared  themselves  for  revenge  ; and  this  whole  com- 
pany, with  the  king  himself,  had  undoubtedly  perished 
on  the  spot,  had  it  not  been  for  an  extraordinary  pres- 
ence of  mind  which  Richard  displayed  on  the  occasion. 
Ordering  his  company  to  stop,  he  advanced  alone 
against  the  enraged  multitude ; and  accosting  them 
with  an  affable  and  intrepid  countenance,  he  asked 
them,  u What  is  the  meaning  of  this  disorder,  my  good 
people  1 Are  ye  angry  that  ye  have  lost  your  leader  1 
I. am  your  king:  I will  be  your  leader  !”  The  popu- 
lace, overawed  by  his  presence,  implicitly  followed 
him  : he  led  them  into  the  fields,  to  prevent  any  dis- 
order which  might  have  arisen  by  their  continuing  in 
the  city,  and  peaceably  dismissed  them  with  the  same 
charter  which  had  been  granted  to  their  fellows.  Soon 
after,  the'  nobility  and  gentry,  hearing  of  the  king’s 
danger,  in  which  they  were  all  involved,  flocked  to 
London  with  their  adherents  and  retainers  ; and  R.ich- 
ard  took  the  field  at  the  head  of  an  army  forty  thou- 
sand strong.  The  rebels  were  obliged  to  submit  ; the 
charters  of  enfranchisement  and  pardon  were  revoked 
by  parliament;  and  several  of  the  ringleaders  were 
severely  punished. 

The  subjection  in  which  Richard  was  held  by  his 
uncles,  particularly  by  the  Duke  of  Gloucester,  a 


1 18 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


prince  of  genius  and  ambition,  was  extremely  disa 
greeable  to  his  disposition  ; and  he  soon  attempted  to 
shake  off  the  yoke.  Gloucester  and  his  associates, 
however,  framed  a commission  which  was  ratified  by 
parliament,  and  by  which  the  sovereign  power  was 
transferred  to  a council  of  fourteen  persons  for  a 
twelve  month.  The  king,  who  had  now  reached  the 
twenty-first  year  of  his  age,  was  in  reality  dethroned  j 
and  though  the  term  of  the  commission  was  limited, 
it  was  easy  to  perceive  that  it  was  the  intention  of 
the  party  to  render  it  perpetual.  However,  in  less 
than  a twelve  month,  Richard,  who  was  in  his  twenty- 
third  year,  declared  in  council,  that,  as  he  had  now 
attained  the  full  age  which  entitled  him  to  govern  the 
Iooq-1  kingdom  by  his  own  authority,  he  was  resolved 
-*  to  exercise  his  right  of  sovereignty.  By  what 
means  the  king  regained  his  authority  is  unknown  ; 
but  he  exercised  it  with  moderation,  and  appeared 
reconciled  to  his  uncles. 

However,  the  personal  conduct  of  Richard  brought 
him  into  contempt,  even  whilst  his  government  seem- 
ed, in  a great  measure,  unexceptionable.  Indolent, 
profuse,  and  addicted  to  low  pleasures,  he  spent  his 
time  in  feasting,  and  dissipated  in  idle  show,  or  in 
bounties  to  worthless  favourites,  the  revenue  which 
should  have  been  employed  in  enterprises  directed  to 
public  honour  and  advantage.  He  forgot  his  rank, 
and  admitted  all  men  to  his  familiarity.  The  little 
regard  which  the  people  felt  for  his  person,  disposed 
them  to  murmur  against  his  government,  and  to  re-- 
ceive  with  readiness  every  complaint  suggested  to 
them  by  the  discontented  or  ambitious  nobles. 

Gloucester  soon  perceived  the  advantages  afforded 
him  by  the  king's  dissolute  conduct  *,  and  he  determin- 
ed to  cultivate  the  favour  of  the  nation.  He  inveighed 
with  indecent  boldness  against  every  measure  pursued 
SQ71  ky  the  king,  and  particularly  against  the  truce 
-*  with  France.  His  imprudence  revived  the  re- 
sentment which  his  former  violence  had  kindled  ; the 
precipitate  temper  of  Richard  admitted  of  no  delibera- 
tion •,  and  he  ordered  Gloucester  to  be  unexpectedly 
arrested,  and  carried  over  to  Calais,  where  alone,  by 
reason  of  his  numerous  partisans,  he  could  safely  bf 
detained  in  custody.  In  a parliament  which  was  in? 


KICHARD  II. 


119 


mediately  summoned,  an  accusation  jyas  presented 
against  the  duke  of  Gloucester,  and  the  earls  of  Arun- 
del and  Warwick,  who  had  appeared  against  their 
sovereign,  in  an  hostile  manner,  at  Haringay  Park. 
The  earl  of  Arundel  was  executed,  and  the  earl  of 
Warwick  banished,  though  the  crime  for  which  they 
were  condemned  had  been  obliterated  by  time,  and 
by  repeated  pardons.  A warrant  was  issued  to  the 
earl  mareschal,  governor  of  Calais,  to  bring  over  the 
duke  of  Gloucester,  in  order  to  his  trial  3 but  the  gov- 
ernor returned  for  answer,  that  the  duke  had  died  sud- 
denly of  an  apoplexy  3 though  it  afterwards  appeared, 
that  he  had  been  suffocated  by  the  order  of  Richard. 

After  the  destruction  of  the  duke  of  Gloucester  and 
the  heads  of  that  party,  a misunderstanding  arose 
among  the  noblemen  who  had  joined  in  the  prosecu- 
tion. The  duke  of  Hereford,  son  of  the  duke  of  Lan- 
caster, accused  the  duke  of  Norfolk  of  having  private- 
ly spoken  many  slanderous  words  of  the  king.  Nor 
folk  denied  the  charge,  and  offered  to  prove  his  own  in- 
nocence by  duel.  The  challenge  was  accepted  3 but 
when  the  two  champions  appeared  in  the  field,  the 
king  interposed,  and  ordered  both  the  combatants  to 
quit  the  kingdom  3 assigning  one  country  for  the 
place  of  Norfolk’s  exile,  which  he  declared  perpetual, 
and  another  for  that  of  Hereford,  which  he  limited  to 
ten  years. 

Hereford  conducted  himself  with  so  much  submis- 
sion, that  the  king  shortened  the  term  of  his  exile 
four  years  3 and  he  also  granted  him  letters  patent,  by 
which  he  was  empowered,  in  case  any  inheritance 
should  in  the  interval  accrue  to  him,  to  enter  immedi- 
ately into  possession,  and  to  postpone  the  doing  of 
homage  till  his  return.  However,  the  king’s  jealousy 
was  awakened  by  being  informed  that  Hereford  had 
entered  into  a treaty  of  marriage  with  the  daughter 
of  the  duke  of  Berry,  uncle  to  the  French  king  3 and 
on  the  death  of  the  duke  of  Lancaster,  which  happen- 
ed soon  after,  Richard  revoked  his  letters  patent,  and 
seized  the  estate  of  Lancaster.  Henry,  the  new  duke 
of  Lancaster,  had  acquired,  by  his  conduct  and  abili- 
ties, the  esteem  of  the  public  3 and  he  had  joined  to 
his  other  praises  ihose  of  piety  and  valour.  His  mis- 
fortunes were  lamented  3 the  injustice  w'hich  he  hac 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


120 

suffered  was  complained  of;  and  all  men  turned  theii 
eves  towards  him,  as  the  only  person  that  could  re- 
trieve the  lost  honour  of  the  nation,  or  redress  the 
supposed  abuses  of  the  government. 

While  such  were  the  dispositions  of  the  people, 
Richard  had  the  imprudence  to  embark  for  Ireland,  in 
order  to  revenge  the  death  of  his  cousin,  Roger,  earl 
of  Marche,  the  presumptive  heir  of  the  crown,  who 
had  lately  been  slain  in  a skirmish  with  the  natives; 
and  he  thereby  left  the  kingdom  of  England  open  to 
the  attempts  of  his  provoked  and  ambitious  enemy. 
Henry,  embarking  at  Nantz  with  a retinue  of  sixty 
persons,  among  whom  were  the  archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury, and  the  young  earl  of  Arundel,  nephew  to  that 
prelate,  landed  at  Ravenspur  in  Yorkshire,  and  was 
immediately  joined  by  the  earls  of  Northumberland 
and  Westmoreland,  two  of  the  most  potent  barons  in 
England.  Every  place  was  in  commotion  : the  mal- 
contents in  all  quarters  flew  to  arms:  and  Henry's  ar- 
my, increasing  on  every  day's  march,  soon  amounted 
to  the  number  of  sixty  thousand  men.  This  army  was 
farther  increased  by  the  accession  of  that  assembled 
by  the  duke  of  York,  who  had  been  left  guardian  of 
the  realm  ; and  the  duke  of  Lancaster,  thus  reinforced, 
was  now  entirely  master  of  the  kingdom. 

The  king,  receiving  information  of  this  invasion  and 
insurrection,  hastened  over  from  Ireland,  and  landed 
in  Milford  Haven  with  a body  of  twenty  thousand 
men  ; but  even  this  army,  so  much  inferior  to  the  en- 
emy,  gradually  deserted  him,  till  he  found  that  he  had 
not  above  six  thousand  men  who  followed  his  stand- 
ard. Sensible  of  his  danger,  he  privately  fled  to  the 
isle  of  Anglesea,  where  the  earl  of  Northumberland, 
bv  treachery  and  false  oaths,  made  himself  master  of 
the  king's  person,  and  carried  him  to  his  enemy 
Flint  castle.  Richard  was  conducted  to  London  by 
the  duke  of  Lancaster,  who  was  there  received  by  the 
acclamations  of  the  mutinous  populace.  The  duke 
first  extorted  a resignation  from  Richard;  but  as  he 
knew  the  result  of  this  deed  would  appear  the  result 
of  force,  he  also  procured  him  to  be  deposed  in  par- 
liament for  his  pretended  tyranny  and  misconduct. 
The  throne  being  now  declared  vacant,  the  duke  of 
Lancaster  stepped  forth,  and  having  made  the  sign  of 


# 


HENRY  IV. 


121 


the  cross,  pronounced  these  words,  wnich  we  shal 
give  in  their  original  idiom,  because  of  their  singular- 
ity : “In  the  name  of  the  Fadher,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  I Henry  of  Lancaster  challenge  this  rewme  of 
Ynglancte,  and  the  croun,  with  all  the  membres  and 
the  appurtenances  : als  I that  am  descendit  by  rignt  . ine 
of  the  blode  coming  fro  the  gude  king  Hem  v Incrde, 
and  throge  that  right  that  God  of  his  grace  hath  sent 
me,  with  helpe  of  kyn,  and  of  my  frendes,  to  recover 
it  5 the  which  rewme  was  in  poynt  to  be  ondone 
by  default  of  governance,  and  ondoying  of  the  gude 
laws.;; 

The  earl  of  Northumberland  made  a motion  in  the 
house  of  peers  with  regard  to  the  unhappy  prince- 
whom  they  had  deposed.  He  asked  them  what  advice 
they  would  give  the  king  for  the  future  treatment  of 
him,  since  Henry  was  resolved  to  spare  his  life.  They 
unanimously  replied,  that  he  should  be  imprisoned 
under  a secure  guard,  in  some  secret  place,  and  should 
be  deprived  of  all  commerce  with  his  friends  and  par- 
tisans. It  was  easy  to  foresee,  that  he  would  not  long 
remain  alive  in  the  hands  of  his  barbarous  and  san- 
guinary enemies.  Historians  differ  with  regard  to  the 
manner  in  which  he  was  murdered.  It  was  long  the 
prevailing  opinion,  that  Sir  Piers  Exton,  and  others  of 
his  guards,  fell  upon  him  in  the  castle  of  Pomfret, 
where  he  was  confined,  and  despatched  him  with  their 
halberts.  But  it  is  more  probable,  that  he  was  starv- 
ed to  death  in  prison,  since  his  body  was  exposed  in 
public,  and  no  marks  of  violence  were  observed  upon 
it.  He  died  in  the  thirty-four-th  year  of  his  age,  and 
twenty-third  of  his  reign;  and  left  no  posterity,  either 
legitimate  or  illegitimate. 

Richard  appears  to  have  been  incapacitated  for  gov- 
ernment, less  for  want  of  natural  parts,  than  of.  solid 
judgment  and  good  education.  He  was  violent  in  his 
temper  ; profuse  in  his  expense  ; fond  of  idle  show  and 
magnificence  5 devoted  to  favourites ; and  addicted 
to  pleasure.  If  he  had  possessed  the  talents  of  gain- 
ing or  of  overawing  his  great  barons,  he  might  have 
escaped  ali  the  misfortunes  of  his  reign;  but  when  the 
nobles  were  tempted,  by  his  want  of  prudence  or  of 
vigour,  to  resist  his  authority,  he  was  naturally  led  t 
seek  an  opportunity  of  retaliation 


122 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Henry  the  Fourth,  in  his  very  first  parliament,  nad 

W)1  reason  to  see  d^nger  attending  that  station 
‘ J which  he  had  assumed,  and  the  obstacles  which 
he  would  meet  with  in  governing  an  unruly  aristocra 
cy,  always  divided  by  faction,  and  at  present  inflamed 
with  the  resentments  consequent  on  such  recent  con- 
vulsions. The  peers,  on  their  assembling,  broke  out 
into  violent  animosities  against  each  other ; forty 
gauntlets,  the  pledges  of  furious  battle,  were  thrown 
on  the  floor  of  the  house,  by  noblemen  who  gave  mu- 
tual challenges  ; and  liar  and  traitor  resounded  from 
all  quarters.  The  king  had  so  much  authority  with 
these  doughty  champions,  as  to  prevent  all  the  com 
bats  which  they  threatened  ; but  he  was  not  able  to 
bring  them  to  a proper  composure,  or  to  an  amicable 
disposition  towards  each  other. 

The  utmost  prudence  of  Henry  could  not  shield  him 
from  those  numerous  inquietudes  which  assailed  him 
from  every  quarter.  The  connexion  of  Richard  with 
the  royal  family  of  France,  made  that  court  exert  its 
activity  to  recover  his  authority,  or  revenge  his  death  ; 
but  the  confusions ‘which  the  French  experienced  at 
home,  obliged  them  to  accommodate  matters,  and  to 
conclude  a truce  between  the  two  kingdoms. 

The  revolution  in  England  proved  also  the  occasion 
of  an  insurrection  in  Wales.  Owen  Glendour,  de- 
scended from  the  ancient  princes  of  that  country,  had 
become  obnoxious  on  account  of  his  attachment  to 
Richard,  in  consequence  of  which  Reginald  lord  Grey 
of  Ruthyn,  who  was  connected  with  the  new  king,  had 
seized  his  estate.  Glendour  recovered  possession  by 
the  sword  5 the  Welsh  armed  on  his  side  ; and  a long 
and  troublesome  war  was  kindled.  As  Glendour  com- 
mitted devastations  on  the  estate  of  the  earl  of  Marche, 
Sir  Edmund  Mortimer,  uncle  to  that  nobleman,  led 
out  the  retainers  of  the  family,  and  gave  battle  to  the 
Welsh  chieftain.  Mortimers  troops  were  routed  j and 
the  earl  himself,  still  in  his  minority,  was  made  pris- 
oner ; and  Henry,  though  he  owed  his  crown  t)  the 
Piercies,  to  whom  the  young  nobleman  was  nearly  re- 
lated,  refused  to  the  earl  of  Northumberland  perinis 
eion  tc  treat  for  his  ransom  with  Glendour. 

The  critical  situation  of  Henry  had  induced  the 
Scots  to  make  incursions  into  England  ; and  Henry 


HENRY  IV. 


123 


desirous  of  taking  revenge,  conducted  his  followers  t« 
Edinburgh  ; but  finding  the  Scots  would  neither  sub- 
mit nor  give  him  battle,  he  returned  in  three  weeks, 
and  disbanded  his  army.  In  the  following  year,  Arch- 
ibald earl  .of  Douglas,  at  the  head  of  twelve  thousand 
men,  and  attended  by  many  of  the  principal  nobility 
of  Scotland,  made  an  irruption  into  England,  and  com- 
mitted devastations  on  the  northern  counties.  On  his 
return  home,  he  was  overtaken  by  the  Piercies  at 
Homeldon,  on  the  borders  of  England,  and  a fierce  bat- 
tle ensued,  in  which  the  Scots  were  totally  routed. 
Douglas  himself  was  taken  prisoner,  as  was  Mordack 
earl  of  Fife,  son  of  the  duke  of  Albany,  with  many  oth 
ers  of  the  gentry  and  nobility. 

The  obligations  which  Henry  had  owed  to  North 
umberland  were  of  a kind  the  most  likely  to  produce 
ingratitude  on  one  side,  and  discontent  on  the  other. 
The  sovereign  naturally  became  jealous  of  that  power 
which  had  advanced  him  to  the  throne  ; and  the  subject 
was  not  easily  satisfied  in  the  returns  which  he 
thought  so  great  a favour  had  merited.  Though  Hen- 
ry, on  his  accession,  had  bestowed  the  office  of  con- 
stable on  Northumberland  for  life,  and  conferred  oth- 
er gifts  on  that  family,  yet  these  favours  were  consid- 
ered as  their,  due  ? the  refusal  of  any  other  request, 
was  deemed  an  injury.  The  impatient  spirit  of  Harry 
Piercy,  and  the  factious  disposition  of  the  earl  of  Wor- 
cester, younger  brother  of  Northumberland,  inflamed 
the  discontents  of  that  nobleman  ; and  the  precarious 
title  of  Henry  tempted  him  to  seek  revenge,  by  over- 
turning that  throne  which  he  had  at  first  established. 
He  entered  into  a correspondence  with  Glcndour;  he 
gave  liberty  to  the  earl  of  Douglas,  and  made  an  alii 
ance  with  that  martial  chief;  he  roused  up  all  his  par- 
tisans to  arms  ; and  such  unlimited  authority  at  that 
time  belonged  to  the  great  families,  that  the  same 
men,  whom  a few  years  before  he  had  conducted 
against  Richard,  now  followed  his  standard  in  opposi- 
tion to  Henry.  When  hostilities  were  ready  to  com 
mence,  Northumberland  was  seized  with  a sudden  ill 
ness  at  Berwick ; and  young  Piercy,  taking  the  com 
, m.md  of  the  troops,  marched  towards  Shrewsbury,  in 
order  to  join  his  forces  with  those  of  Glendour.  The 
king  had  fortunately  a small  army  on  foot.  He  ap. 


124 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


proached  Piercy  near  Shrewsbury,  before  that  noble 
man  was  joined  by  Glendour;  and  the  policy  of  one 
leader,  and  impatience  of  the  other,  made  them  has- 
ten to  a general  engagement. 

We  shall  scarcely  find  any  battle  in  those  ages 
140^1  w^ere  shock  was  more  terrible  and  more 
-*  constant.  Henry  exposed  his  person  in  the 
thickest  of  the  fight : his  gallant  son,  whose  military 
achievements  were  afterwards  so  renowned,  and 
who  here  performed  his  noviciate  in  arms,  signalized 
himself  in  the  highest  degree  ; and  even  a wound, 
which  he  received  in  the  face  with  an  arrow,  could 
not  oblige  him  to  quit  the  field.  Piercy  supported 
that  fame  which  he  had  acquired  in  many  a bloody 
combat;  and  Douglas,  his  ancient  enemy,  and  now 
his  friend,  still  appeared  his  rival,  amidst  the  hor- 
ror and  confusion  of  the  day.  While  the  armies  were 
contending  in  this  furious  manner,  the  death  of  Pier- 
cy, by  an  unknown  hand,  decided  the  victory,  and  the 
royalists  prevailed.  There  are  said  to  have  fallen 
that  day,  on  both  sides,  near  two  thousand  three  hun- 
dred gentlemen  ; but  the  persons  of  greatest  dis- 
tinction that  were  killed,  belonged  to  the  king’s  party. 
About  six  thousand  private  men  perished,  of  whom 
two  thirds  were  of  Piercy’s  army.  The  earls  of  Wor- 
cester and  Douglas  were  taken  prisoners  : the  former 
was  beheaded  at  Shrewsbury  ; the  latter  was  treated 
with  the  courtesy  due  to  his  rank  and  valour. 

The  earl  of  Northumberland,  having  recovered 
from  his  sickness,  had  levied  a fresh  army,  and  was 
oq  his  march  to  join  his  son;  but  being  opposed  by 
the  earl  of  Westmoreland,  and  hearing  of  the  defeat 
at  Shrewsbury,  he  dismissed  his  forces,  and  came  with 
a small  retinue  to  the  king  at  York.  He  pretended 
that  his  sole  object  in  arming  was  to  mediate  be- 
tween the  parties  : Henry  thought  proper  to  ac- 
cept of  the  apology,  and  even  granted  him  a pardon 
for  his  offence.  Most  of  the  other  insurgents  were 
treated  with  equal  lenity.  Northumberland,  however, 
having  formed  anew  conspiracy  against  the  king,  was 
killed  in  an  engagement  at  Bramham,  in  Yorkshire 
This  success,  joined  to  the  death  of  Glendour,  which 
happened  soon  after,  freed  Henry  from  all  his  domes 
tic  enemies  ; and  this  prince,  who  had  mounted  the 


HENRY  IV. 


12c 

throne  by  such  unjustifiable  means  and  held  it  b» 
such  an  exceptionable  title,  by  his  valour,  prudence,, 
and  address,  had  obtained  a great  ascendency  over  his 
subjects. 

Though  Henry  entertained  a well-grounded  jealousy 
of  the  family  of  Mortimer,  yet  he  allowed  not  their 
name  to  be  once  mentioned  in  parliament;  and  as 
none  of  the  rebels  had  ventured  to  declare  the  earl  of 
Marche  king,  he  never  attempted  to  procure  an  ex- 
press declaration  against  the  claim  of  that  nobleman. 
However,  with  a design  of  weakening  the  pretensions 
of  the  earl  of  Marche,  he  procured  a settlement  of  the 
crown  on  himself  and  his  heirs — male  ; but  the  long 
contest  with  France  had  displayed  the  injustice  of  the 
Salic  law;  and  the  parliament,  apprehensive  that 
they  had  destroyed  the  foundations  of  the  English 
government,  applied  with  such  earnestness  for  a new 
settlement  of  the  crown,  that  Henry  yielded  to  their 
request,  and  agreed  to  the  succession  of  the  princesses 
of  his  family. 

But  though  the  commons,  during  this  reign,  show- 
ed a laudable  zeal  for  liberty  in  their  transactions  with 
the  crown,  their  efforts  against  the  church  was  still 
more  extraordinary.  In  the  sixth  of  Henry,  being  re. 
quired  to  grant  supplies,  they  proposed  in  plain  terms 
to  the  king,  that  he  should  seize  all  the  temporalities 
of  the  church,  and  employ  them  as  a perpetual  fund 
to  serve  the  exigencies  of  the  state.  The  king,  how- 
ever, discouraged  the  application  of  the  commons 
and  the  lords  rejected  the  bill  which  the  lower  house 
had  framed  for  stripping  the  church  of  her  revenues. 
The  commons  were  not  discouraged  by  this  repulse  : 
in  the  eleventh  of  the  king,  they  returned  to  the 
charge  with  more  zeal  than  before  : they  made  a cal- 
culation of  all  the  ecclesiastical  revenues,  which,  by 
their  account,  amounted  to  four  hundred  and  eighty- 
five  thousand  marks  a-year,  and  contained  eighteen 
thousand  ploughs  of  land.  They  proposed  to  divide 
this  property  among  fifteen  new  earls,  fifteen  hundred 
knights,  six  thousand  esquires,  and  one  hundred  hos- 
pitals ; besides  twenty  thousand  pounds  a-year,  which 
the  king  might  take  for  his  own  use  ; and  they  insist- 
ed, that  the  clerical  functions  would  be  better  pei 
formed  than  at  present,  by  fifteen  thousand  parish 


26 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


priests,  paid  after  the  rate  of  seven  marks  a piece  of 
yearly  stipend.  This  application  was  accompanied 
>vith  an  address  for  mitigating  the  statutes  enacted 
against  the  Lollards,  which  shows  from  what  souice 
the  address  came.  To  this  unjust  and  chimerical 
proposal,  the  king  gave  the  commons  a severe  reply. 

The  king  was  so  much-  employed  in  defending  his 
crown,  that  he  had  little  leisure  to  look  abroad.  His 
health  declined  some  months  before  his  death  ; and 
though  he  was  in  the  flower  of  his  age,  his  end  was 
visibly  approaching.  He  expired  at  Westminster 
14131  March,)  in  the  forty-sixth  year  of  his  age, 

■*  and  the  thirteenth  of  his  reign.  The  prudence, 
vigilance  and  foresight  of  Henry  IV.  in  maintaining 
his  power,  were  admirable  j his  command  of  temper 
was  remarkable  5 his  courage,  both  military  and  polit- 
ical, without  blemish  ; and  he  possessed  many  quali- 
ties which  fitted  him  for  his  high  station,  and  which 
rendered  his  usurpation,  though  pernicious  in  after- 
times, rather  salutary,  during  his  own  reign,  to  the 
English  nation.  He  left  four  sons,  Henry  his  succes- 
sor,'Thomas  duke  of  Clarence,  John  duke  of  Bedford, 
and  Humphrey  duke  of  Gloucester  ; and  two  daugh 
ters,  Blanche  and  Philippa,  the  former  married  to  th^ 
duke  of  Bavaria,  the  latter  to  the  king  of  Denmark 

The  jealousies  to  which  the  deceased  monarch's 
situation  naturally  exposed  him,  had  so  infected  his 
temper,  that  he  regarded  with  distrust  even  his  eldest 
son,  whom,  during  the  latter  years  of  his  life,  he  had 
excluded  from  public  business.  The  active  spirit  of 
young  Henry,  restrained  from  its  proper  exercise, 
broke  out  into  extravagancies  of  every  kind.  There 
remains  a tradition,  that,  when  heated  with  liquor 
and  jollity,  he  scrupled  not  to  accompany  his  riotous 
associates  in  attacking  and  plundering  the  passengers 
in  the  streets  and  highways.  This  extreme  dissolute- 
ness was  not  more  agreeable  to  the  father,  than  would 
have  been  his  application  to  business  ; and  Henry 
fancied  he  saw,  in  his  son's  behaviour,  the  same  neg- 
ect  of  decency,  which  had  degraded  the  character  of 
Richard.  But  the  nation  regarded  the  young  prince 
with  more  indulgence : they  observed  in  him  the 
seeds  of  generosity,  spirit  and  magnanimity  ; and  an 
incident  which  happened,  afforded  occasion  for  favour 


% 


HENRY  V.  127 

able  reflections.  A riotous  companion  of  the  prince’s 
had  been  indicted  before  Gascoigne,  the  chief  justice^ 
for  some  disorders 3 and  Henry  was  not  ashamed  to 
appear  at  the  bar  with  the  criminal,  in  order  to  give 
him  countenance  and  protection.  Finding  that  his 
presence  did  nbt  overawe  the  chief-justice,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  insult  that  magistrate  on  his  tribunal  3 but 
Gascoigne,  rpindful  of  his  own  character,  and  the 
majesty  of  the  sovereign  and  of  the  laws,  which  he 
sustained,  ordered  the  prince  to  be  carried  to  prison 
for  his  rude  behaviour  3 and  the  spectators  were  agree- 
ably disappointed  when  they  saw  the  heir  of  the 
crown  submit  peaceably  to  this  sentence,  and  make 
reparation  ofJ?is  error  by  acknowledging  it. 

The  memory  of  this  incident,  and  of  many  others 
of  a like  nature,  rendered  the  prospect  of  the  future 
reign  nowise  disagreeable  to  the  nation  3 and  the  first 
steps  taken  by  the  young  prince,  confirmed  all  those 
orepossessions  entertained  in  his  favour.  He  called 
together  his  former  companions,  acquainted  th  m with 
.ais  intended  reformation,  exhorted  them  to  imitate 
his  example,  but  strictly  inhibited  them,  till  they  had 
given  prools  of  their  sincerity  in  this  particular,  from 
appearing  any  more  in  his  presence  5 and  he  thus  dis- 
missed them  with  liberal  presents.  The  wise  minis- 
ters of  his  father,  who  had  checked  his  riots,  were  re- 
ceived with  all  the  marks  of  favour  and  confidence  : 
and  the  chief-justice  himself,  who  trembled  to  ap- 
proach the  royal  presence,  met  with  praises  instead 
of  reproaches  for  his  past  conduct,  and  was  exhorted 
to  persevere  in  the  same  rigorous  and  impartial  exe- 
cution of  the  laws.  The  surprise  of  those  who  ex- 
pected an  opposite  behaviour,  augmented  their  satis- 
faction 3 and  the  character  of  the  young  king  appear- 
ed brighter  than  if  it  had  never  been  shaded  by  any 
errors. 

At  this  time,  the  Lollards  were  every  day  increas- 
ing in  the  kingdom.  The  head  of  this  sect  was  sir 
John  Oldcastle,  lord  Cobham,  a nobleman  who  had 
distinguished  himself  by  his  valour  and  military  tal- 
ents, and  had  acquired  the  esteem  berth  of.  the  late 
and  of  the  present  king.  His  high  character  and  zeal 
for  the  new  sect  pointed  him  out  to  Arundel,  arch- 
Dishop  of  Canterbury,  as  the  proper  victim  of  ecclesi 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND^ 


123 

astical  severity.  The  archbishop  applied  to  Henry  fot 
permission  to  indict  lord  Cobham;  but  the  prince, 
averse  to  sanguinary  methods  of  conversion,  endeav- 
oured, by  a conversation  with  Cobham,  to  reconcile 
him  to  the  Catholic  faith.  But  he  found  that  noble- 
man firm  in  his  opinions  ; and-  Henry's  principles  of 
toleration  could  carry  him  no  farther.  The  primate 
indicted  Cobham,  and,  with  the  assistance  of  his  suf- 
fragans, condemned  him  to  the  flames  for  his  errone- 
ous opinions.  Cobham  escaped  from  the  Tower  3 and 
his  daring  spirit,  provoked  by  persecution  and  stimu- 
lated by  zeal,  prompted  him  to  attempt  the  most  crimi- 
nal enterprises.  He  appointed  a general  rendezvous 
of  his  party,  in  order  to  seize  the  person  of  the  king, 
and  put  their  religious  enemies  to  the  sword  3 but 
Henry,  apprized  of  their  intentions,  apprehended  such 
of  the  conspirators  as  appeared,  and  rendered  the  de- 
sign ineffectual.  It  appeared  that  a few  only  were  in 
the  secret  of  the  conspiracy : of  these  some  were 
executed 3 and  Cobham  himself,  who  had  fled,  was 
not  brought  to  justice  till  four  years  after,  when  he 
was  hanged  as  a traitor,  and  his  body  burnt  upon  the 
gibbet. 

Charles  the  Sixth,  king  of  France,  after  assuming 
the  reins  of  government,  had  discovered  symptoms  of 
genius  and  spirit;  but  the  unhappy  prince  being  seiz 
ed  with  an  epileptic  disorder,  his  judgment  was  gradu- 
ally but  sensibly  impaired  5 and  the  administration  of 
affairs  was  disputed  between  his  brother,  Lewis  duke 
of  Orleans,  and  his  cousin-german,  John  duke  of  Bur- 
gundy. The  latter  procured  his  rival  to  be  assas- 
sinated in  the  streets  of  Paris.  The  princes  of  the 
blood,  combining  with  the  young  duke  of  Orleans  and 
his  brothers,  with  all  the  violence  of  party  rage, 
made  war  on  the  duke  of  Burgundy  3 and  the  unhappy 
king,  seized  sometimes  by  one  party,  sometimes  by 
the  other,  transferred  alternately  to  each  of  them  the 
appearance  of  legal  authority. 

These  circumstances  concurred  to  favour  an  enter- 
prise of  the  English  against  France.  Henry,  therefore, 
assembled  a great  fleet  and  army  at  Southampton;  and 
relying  on  the  aid  of  the  duke  of  Burgundy,  he  put  t<i 
sea,  and  landed  near  Harfleur,  with  six  thousand  men 
at  arms,  and  twenty-four  thousand  foot.  He  obliged 


HENRY  V. 


129 


that  city  to  capitulate  after  a gallant  defence.  The  fa 
tigues  of  this  siege,  and  the  unusual  heat  of  the  sea- 
son, had  so  wasted  the  English  army,  that  Henry  could 
enter  on  no  other  enterprise  5 and  as  he  had  dismissed 
his  transports,  he  was  under  the  necessity  of  marching 
by  land  to  Calais,  before  he  could  reach  a place  of 
safety.  By  this  time  a numerous  French  army,  of 
fourteen  thousand  men  at  arms,  and  forty  thousand 
foot,  was  assembled  in  Normandy,  under  the  consta- 
ble d'Albert.  Henry,  therefore,  offered  to  purchase  a 
safe  retreat  at  the  expense  of  his  new  conquest  of 
Harfleur;  but  his  proposals  being  rejected,  he  march- 
ed slowly  and  deliberately  to  the  Somme,  which  he 
purposed  to  pass  at  the  same  ford  that  had  proved  so 
auspicious  to  his  predecessor  Edward.  The  ford,  how- 
ever, was  rendered  impassable,  by  the  precaution  of 
the  French  ; but  he  was  so  fortunate  as  to  surprise  a 
passage  near  St.  Quentin,  over  which  he  safely  carried 
his  force.  After  passing  the  small  river  of  Ternois, 
at  Blangi,  he  observed  the  whole  French  army  drawn 
up  in  the  plains  of  Agincourt,  and  so  posted  that  an 
engagement  was  inevitable.  The  enemy  was  four 
*imes  more  numerous  than  the  English,  and  was  head- 
ed by  the  dauphin,  and  all  the  princes  of  the  blood. 

Henry's  situation  was  exactly  similar  to  that  of  Ed- 
ward at  Crecy,  and  of  the  Black  Prince  at  Poictiers. 
The  king  drew  up  his  army  on  a narrow  ground  be- 
tween two  woods,  which  guarded  his  flank,  and  pa- 
tiently awaited  the  attack  of  the  enemy.  The  French 
archers  on  horseback,  and  their  men  at  arms,  crowded 
in  their  ranks,  advanced  against  the  English  archers, 
who  had  fixed  palisadoes  in  their  front  to  break  the 
impression  of  the  enemy,  and  who,  from  behind  that 
defence,  safely  plied  them  with  a shower  of  arrows 
which  nothing  could  resist.  The  heavy  ground  hin- 
dered the  force  of  the  French  cavalry  j the  whole  ar- 
my was  a scene  of  confusion,  terror,  and  dismay  5 and 
the  English  fel.  with  their  battle-axes  upon  the  French, 
who,  being  unable  to  flee  or  defend  themselves,  were 
slaughtered  without  resistance.  Among  the  slain  were 
the  constable  himself,  the  count  of  Nevers,  and  the 
duke  of  Brabant,  both  brothers  to  the  duke  of  Bur 
gundy,  the  count  of  Vaudemont,  the  dukes  of  Alen- 
gon  and  B.irre,  and  the  count  of  Marie}  and  among 

VOL  I 9 


130 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


the  prisoners  were  the  dukes  of  Orleans  and  Bourbon , 
the  counts  d’Eu,  Vendome,  and  Richmont,  and  the 
inareschal  of  Bousicaut.  The  killed,  on  the  side  of 
the  French,  are  computed  to  have  amounted  to  ten 
thousand  men  ; and  the  prisoners  to  fourteen  thousand. 
14.K1  The  person  of  chief  note,  who  fell  among  the 
English,  was  the  duke  of  York  ; and  their  whole 
loss  is  said  not  to  have  exceeded  forty  men. 

During  the  interruption  of  hostilities  which  follow- 
ed this  engagement,  France  was  exposed  to  all  the  fu- 
ries of  civil  war.  The  count  of  Armagnac,  created 
constable  of  France,  prevailed  on  the  king  to  send  the 
queen  to  Tours,  and  confine  her  under  a guard  ; and 
her  son,  the  dauphin  Charles,  was  entirely  governed 
by  the  faction  of  Armagnac.  In  concert  with  her, 
the  duke  of  Burgundy  entered  France  at  the  head  of 
a powerful  army,  and  at  last  liberated  the  queen,  who 
fixed  her  independent  residence  at  Troyes,  and  openly 
declared  against  the  ministers,  who,  she  asserted,  de- 
tained her  royal  consort  in  captivity.  In  the  mean 
time,  the-  partisans  of  Burgundy  raised  a commotion 
in  Paris.  Lisle  Adam,  one  of  the  duke's  captains, 
was  received  into  the  city,  and  headed  the  insurrec- 
tion ; the  person  of  the  king  was  seized  ; the  dauphin 
escaped  with  difficulty  ; and  the  count  of  Armagnac, 
the  chancellor,  and  the  principal  adherents  of  the  Or- 
leans party,  were  inhumanly  put  to  death. 

Henry  the  Fifth  again  landed  in  Normandy,  at  the 
head  of  twenty-five  thousand  men.  Having  subdued 
all  the  lower  Normandy,  he  formed  the  siege  of  Rou- 
en, of  which,  at  length,  he  made  himself  master.  The 
duke  of  Burgundy  was  assassinated  by  the  treachery 
of  the  dauphin  ; and  his  son  thought  himself  bound  to 
revenge  the  murder  of  his  father.  A league  was  con- 
cluded at  Arras  between  Henry  and  the  young  duke  of 
Burgundy,  who  agreed  to  every  demand  made  by  that 
monarch.  By  this  treaty,  which  was  concluded  at 
Troyes,  in  the  names  of  the  kings  of  France  and  Eng- 
land, and  the  duke  of  Burgundy,  it  was  stipulated,  that 
14201  Charles,  during  his  life,  should  enjoy  the  title 
' and  dignity  of  king  of  France  ; that  Henry 
should  be  declared  heir  of  the  monarchy  and  imme- 
diately entrusted  with  the  reins  of  government,  and 
that  kingdom  should  pass  to  his  heirs  general;  that 


HENRY  V. 


131 


France  and  England  should  for  ever  be  united  undei 
one  king,  but  should  still  retain  their  several  usages, 
customs,  and  privileges  5 and  that  Henry  should  join 
his  arms  to  those  of  king  Charles  and  the  duke  of  Bur- 
gundy, for  the  purpose  of  subduing  the  adherents  of 
Charles  the  Dauphin. 

To  push  h4s  present  advantages,  Henry  a few  days 
after  espoused  the  princess  Catherine,  carried  his 
father-in-law  to  Paris,  and  put  himself  in  possession 
of  that  capital.  He  then  turned  his  arms  with  suc- 
cess against  the  dauphin,  who,  as  soon  as  he  heard  of 
the  treaty  of  Troyes,  had  assumed  the  title  of  Regent. 
That  prince,  chased  beyond  the  Loire,  almost  entirely 
deserted  by  the  northern  provinces,  and  pursued  into 
the  south  by  the  English  and  Burgundians,  prepared 
to  meet  with  fortitude  the  destruction  which  seemed 
inevitable.  To  crown  the  prosperity  of  Henry,  his 
queen  Catherine  was  delivered  of  a son,  who  was  call- 
ed by  his  father’s  name,  and  whose  birth  was  celebrat- 
ed by  equal  rejoicings  in  Paris  and  in  London. 

The  glory  of  Henry,  however,  had  now  reached  its 
summit.  He  was  seized  with  a fistula,  a complaint 
which  the  ignorance  of  theuge  rendered  mortal.  Sen- 
sible of  his  approaching  end,  he  devoted  the  few  re- 
maining moments  of  life  to  the  concerns  of  his  king- 
dom and  family,  and  to  the  pious  duties  of  rel  gion. 
To  the  duke  of  Bedford,  his  elder  brother,  he  left  the 
regency  of  France ; to  the  duke  of  Gloucester,  his 
younger  brother,  he  committed  that  of  England  ; and 
to  the  earl  of  Warwick  he  entrusted  the  care  of  his 
14^1  son’s  person  and  education.  He  expired  in  the 
thirty-fourth  year  of  his  age,  and  the  tenth  of 
his  reign. 

Henry  the  Fifth  possessed  rrlarty  eminent  virtues, 
which  were  unstained  by  any  other  blemish  than  am- 
bition and  the  love  of  glory.  His  talents  were  equal- 
ly distinguished  in  the  field  and  the  cabinet  j and 
whilst  we  admire  the  boldness  of  his  enterprises,  w<j 
cannot  refuse  our  praise  to  the  prudence  and  valour 
by  which  they  were  conducted.  His  affability  attach- 
ed his  friends  to  his  service ; and  his  address  and 
clemency  vanquished  his  enemies.  His  un  casing  at- 
tention to  the  administration  of  justice,  and  his  main- 
tenance of  discipline  in  the  armies,  alleviated  both  to 


132 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


France  and  England  the  calamities  inseparable  from 
those  wars  in  which  his  short  and  splendid  reign  was 
almost  entirely  occupied.  The  exterior  figure  of  this 
great  prince,  as  well  as  his  deportment,  was  engaging. 
His  stature  was  somewhat  above  the  middle  size  3 his 
countenance  beautiful  5 his  limbs  were  genteel,  and 
slender,  but  full  of  vigour;  and  he  excelled  in  all  war 
like  and  manly  exercises.  He  left  by  his  queen,  Cath 
erine  of  France,  only  one  son,  not  full  nine  months 
old  3 whose  misfortunes,  in  the  course  of  his  life,  sur- 
passed all  the  glories  and  successes  of  his  father. 

Catherine  of  France,  Henry's  widow,  married,  soon 
after  his  death,  a Welsh  gentleman,  Sir  Owen  Tudor, 
said  to  be  descended  from  the  ancient  princes  of  that 
country  : she  bore  him  two  sons,  Edmund  and  Jasper, 
of  whom  the  eldest  was  created  earl  of  Richmond; 
the  second,  earl  of  Pembroke.  The  family  of  Tudor, 
first  raised  to  distinction  by  '&  alliance,  mounted 
afterwards  the  throne  of  England. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Reigns  of  Henry  VI.,  Edward  IV.,  and  Ed- 
ward V. 

During  the  reign  of  the  princes  of  the  house  of 
Lancaster,  the  authority  of  parliament  had  been  more 
confirmed,  and  the  privileges  of  the  people  more  re- 
garded, than  in  any  former  period.  Without  attending 
to  the  strict  letter  of  the  deceased  monarch's  recom- 
mendation, the  lords  and  commons  appointed  the  duke 
of  Bedford  protector  or  guardian  of  the  kingdom  3 they 
invested  the  duke  of  Gloucester  with  the  same  dignity 
during  the  absence  of  his  elder  brother  3 and,  in  order 
to  limit  the  power  of  both  these  princes,  they  ap- 
pointed a council,  without  whose  advice  and  appro- 
bation no  measure  of  importance  could  be  determined. 
The  person  and  education  of  the  infant  prince  were 
committed  to  Henry  Beaufort,  bishop  of  Winchester, 
his  great  uncle,  who,  as  his  family  could  never  have 
any  pretensions  to  the  crown,  might  safely,  the} 
thought  be  intrusted  with  that  important  charge. 


i 


133 


HENRY  VI. 

The  conquest  of  France  was  the  first  object  of  the 
hew  government  5 and,  on  a superficial  view  of  the 
state  of  affairs,  every  advantage  seemed  to  be  on  the 
side  of  the  English.  Though  Henry  was  an  infant, 
the  duke  of  Bedford  was  the  most  accomplished  prince 
of  his  age  ; and  the  whole  power  of  England  was  at  his 
command.  He  was  at  the  head  of  armies  accustomed 
to  victory ; he  was  seconded  by  the  most  renowned 
generals  of  the  age  ; and  besides  Guienne,  the  ancient 
inheritance  of  England,  he  was  master  of  Paris,  and 
of  almost  all  the  northern  provinces. 

But  Charles,  notwithstanding  his  present  inferiority, 
possessed  some  advantages  which  promised  him  suc- 
' cess.  He  was  the  true  and  undoubted  heir  of  the 
monarchy;  and  all  Frenchmen,  who  knew  the  interest, 
or  desired  the  independence  of  their  country,  turned 
their  eyes  towards  him  as  their  sole  resource.  Though 
only  in  his  twentieth  year,  he  was  of  the  most  friendly 
and  benign  disposition,  of  easy  and  familiar  manners, 
and  of  a just,  though  not  a very  vigorous  understand- 
ing. The  love  of  pleasure  often  seduced  hijn  into 
indolence  ; but,  amidst  all  his  irregularities,  the  good- 
ness of  his  heart  still  shone  forth  ; and  by  exerting  at 
intervals  his  courage  and  activity,  be  proved  that  his 
rem;ssness  did  not  proceed  from  the  want  of  ambition 
or  personal  valour. 

The  resentment  of  the  duke  of  Burgundy  against 
Charles,  still  continued  ; and  the  duke  of  Bedford,  that 
he  might  corroborate  national  connexions  by  private 
ties,  concluded  his  own  marriage  with  the  pr.ncess  of 
Burgundy,  which  had  been  stipulated  by  the  treaty  of 
Arras. 

But  the  Duke  of  Bedford  was  not  so  much  employed 
in  negotiations  as  to  neglect  the  operations  of  war. 
A considerable  advantage  was  gained  over  the  French, 
in  the  battle  of  Crevant,  by  the  united  forces  of  Eng- 
land and  Burgundy.  In  the  mean  time,  the  duke  of 
Bedford  was  engaged  in  the  siege  of  Yvri  in  Norman- 
dy ; and  the  governor,  finding  his  resources  exhausted, 
agreed  $o  surrender  the  town,  if  not  relieved  by  a cer- 
tain day.  Charles,  informed  of  these  conditions,  de- 
termined to  make  an  attempt  for  saving  the  place  : 
and  collecting  an  army  of  fourteen  thousand  meir,  of 
tthoin  one  half  were  Scots,  he  entrusted  it  to  tha  ead 


134 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


of  Buchan,  constable  of  France.  When  the  constable 
arrived  within  a few  leagues  of  Yvri,  he  found  that 
the  place  had  already  surrendered  j but  he  immediate 
ly  invested  Verneuil,  which  he  carried  without  dilfi 
culty.  On  the  approach  of  the  duke  of  Bedford,  Bu- 
chan called  a council  of  war,  in  order  to  deliberate  on 
the  conduct  necessary  to  be  pursued.  The  wiser  part 
of  the  council  declared  for  a retreat  5 but  a vain  point 
of  honour  determined  the  assembly  to  await  the  arri- 
val of  the  duke  of  Bedford. 

In  this  action,  the  numbers  of  the  contending  armies 
were  nearly  equal  ; and  the  battle  was  fierce  and  well 
disputed.  At  length,  the  duke  of  Bedford,  at  the  head 
of  the  men  at  arms,  broke  the  ranks  of  the  French, 
chased  them  off  the  field,  and  rendered  the  victory 
complete  and  decisive.  Verneuil  was  surrendered 
next  day  by  capitulation. 

• The  fortunes  of  Charles  now  appeared  almost  des- 
perate, when  an  incident  happened  which  lost  the 
English  an  opportunity  of  completing  their  conquests. 
Jaqueljne,  countess  of  Hainault  and  Holland,  and 
heiress  of  these  provinces,  had  espoused  John,  duke 
of  Brabant,  cousin-german  to  the  duke  of  Burgundy. 
The  marriage  had  been  dictated  by  motives  of  policy: 
but  the  duke  of  Brabant’s  weakne&s,  both  of. body  and 
mind,  inspired  the  countess  with  contempt,  which 
soon  proceeded  to  antipathy.  Impatientof  effecting  her 
purpose,  she  escaped  into  England,  and  solicited  the 
protection  of  the  duke  of  Gloucester.  The  impetuous 
passions  of  that  prince,  and  the  prospect  of  inheriting 
her  rich  inheritance,  induced  him  to  offer  himself  to 
her  as  a husband j and  he  entered  into  a contract  of 
marriage  with  Jaqueline,  and  immediately  attempted 
to  render  himself  master  of  her  dominions.  The  duke 
of  Burgundy  resented  the  injury  offered  to  the  duke 
of  Brabant,  his  near  relation,  and  marched  troops  to 
his  support  3 the  quarrel,  which  was  at  first  political, 
soon  became  personal  j and  the  protector,  instead  of 
improving  the  victory  gained  at  Verneuil,  found  him- 
self obliged  to  return  to  England,  that  he  might  try,  by 
his  councils  and  authority,  to  moderate  the  measures 
of  the  duke  of  Gloucester. 

The  pope  annulled  Jaqueline’s  contract  with  the 
dike  of  Gloucester;  and  Humphrey,  despairing  of 


HENRY  VI. 


135 


tucccss,  married  another  lady,  who  had  lived  some 
time  with  him  as  his  mistress.  The  duke  of  Brabant 
died  ; and  his  widow,  before  she  could  recover  pos- 
session of  her  dominions,  was  obliged  to  declare 
the  duke  of  Burgundy  her  heir,  in  case  she  should  die 
without  issue,  and  to  promise  never  to  marry  without 
his  consent.  This  affair,  however,  left  an  unfavoura- 
ble impression  on  the  mind  of  Philip,  and  excited  an 
extreme  jealousy  of  the  English.  About  the  same 
time,  the  duke  of  Brittany  withdrew  himself  from  the 
alliance  with  England;  his  defection  was  followed  by 
that  of  his  brother,  the  count  of  Richemont ; and  both 
these  princes  joined  the  standard  of  their  legitimate 
sovereign,  Charles  the  Seventh. 

Indignant  at  the  conduct  of  the  duke  of  Brittany,  the 
duke  of  Bedford,  on  his  arrival  in  France,  secretly  as- 
sembled a considerable  army,  and  suddenly  invading 
the  province  of  Brittany,  compelled  its  sovereign  to 
renounce  his  alliance  with  France,  and  to  yield  hom- 
age to  Henry  for  his  duchy.  Being  thus  freed  from  a 
14281  dangerous  enemy,  the  English  prince  resolved 
* to  invest  the  city  of  Orleans,  which  was^o  situ- 
ated between  the  provinces  commanded  by  Henry, 
and  those  possessed  by  Charles,  as  to  afford  an  easy 
entrance  into  either.  He  committed  the  conduct  of 
the  enterprise  to  the  earl  of  Salisbury,  who  had  greatly 
distinguished  himself  by  his  military  talents  during 
the  present  war.  On  the  other  hand,  the  French  king 
reinforced  the  garrison,  and  replenished  the  maga 
zincs,  and  appointed  as  governor  the  lord  of  Gaucur 
a brave  and  experienced  officer. 

The  earl  of  Salisbury  approached  the  place  with  ar 
army  of  ten  thousand  men,  and  was  killed  by  a can 
non-shot  in  a successful  attack  on  the  fortifications 
The  earl  of  Suffolk  succeeded  to  the  command:  an*, 
being  reinforced  by  large  bodies  of  English  and  Bur 
gundians,  he  completely  invested  Orleans.  The  in 
clemency  of  the  season,  and  the  rigour  of  the  winter 
could  not  overcome  the  perseverance  of  the  besiegers 
who  seemed  daily  advancing  to  the  completion  of 
their  enterprise.  In  order  to  distress  the  enemy,  the 
French  had  ravaged  and  exhausted  the  whole  sur 
rounding  country  : and  the  English  were  compelled  tc 
draw  their  subsistence  from  a considerable  distance. 


136 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND 


A convoy  of  provisions  was  escorted  by  Sir  John  Fal 
stofle,  with  a detachment  of  two  thousand  five  hundred 
men.  Falstoffe,  being  attacked  by  a body  of  four 
thousand  French,  under  the  command  of  the  counts  of 
Clermont  and  Dunois,  drew  up  his  men  behind  the 
wagons;  when  the  French  were  defeated  by  their  own 
impetuosity,  and  five  hundred  of  them  perished  on  the 
field. 

Charles  had  now  only  one  expedient  left  for  pre- 
serving this  city.  The  duke  of  Orleans,  still  a prison- 
er in  England,  had  prevailed  on  the  duke  of  Glouces- 
ter and  his  council  to  consent  to  a neutrality  in  his 
demesnes,  which  should  be  sequestered  during  the 
war  into  the  hands  of  the  duke  of  Burgundy;  but  this 
proposal  was  rejected  by  the  duke  of  Bedford,  who 
replied,  that  “ he  was  not  in  a humour  to  beat  the 
bushes,  whilst  others  ran  away  with  the  game.”  This 
answer  disgusted  the  duke  of  Burgundy,  who  separated 
his  forces  from  those  of  the  English;  but  the  latter 
pressed  the  siege  with  increased  ardour;  and  scarcity 
was  already  experienced  by  the  garrison  and  inhab 
itants. 

Charles,  almost  reduced  to  despair,  entertained 
thoughts  of  retiring  with  the  remains  of  his  army  into 
Dauphine  and  Languedoc  ; but  he  was  diverted  from 
his  purpose  by  the  intreaties  of  his  queen,  Mary  of 
Anjou,  a princess  of  prudence  and  spirit,  and  by  the 
remonstrances  of  his  beautiful  mistress,  the  celebrated 
Agnes  Sorele. 

In  the  village  of  Domremi,  near  Vaucouleurs,  on 
the  borders  of  Lorraine,  lived  a country  girl,  called 
Joan  d’Arc,  who  was  a servant  in  a 6mall  inn,  and 
who,  having  been  accustomed  to  ride  the  horses  of  her 
master’s  guests  to  water,  had  acquired  a degree  of 
hardihood,  which  enabled  her  to  endure  the  fatigues 
of  war.  The  present  situation  of  France  was  the 
common  topic  of  conversation.  Joan,  inflamed  by  the 
general  sentiment,  fancied  that  she  was  destined  by 
heaven  to  re-establish  the  throne  of  her  sovereign  ; 
and  the  intrepidity  of  her  mind  led  her  to  despise  the 
dangers  which  would  naturally  attend  such  an  attempt. 
She  procured  admission  to  Baudricourt,  the  governoi 
of  Vaucouleurs  ; and  declared  to  him,  that  she  had 
oeen  exhorted  by  visions  and  voices  to  achieve  the 


HENRY  VI. 


l;37 


deliverance  of  her  country.  Baudricourt,  either 
equally  credulous  himself,  or  sufficiently  penetrating 
to  foresee  the  effect  such  an  enthusiast  might  have  ok 
the  minds  of  the  vulgar,  gave  her  an  escort  to  the 
French  court,  which  at  that  time  resided  at  Chinon. 

On  her  arrival,  she  is  said  to  have  distinguished 
Charles,  though  he  purposely  remained  in  the  crowd 
of  his  courtiers,  and  had  devested  himself  of  every 
ensign  of  royalty  ; to  have  offered  him  to  raise  the 
siege  of  Orleans,  and  to  conduct  him  to  Rheims,  there 
to  he  crowned  and  anointed ; and  to  have  demanded, 
as  the  instrument  of  her  future  victories,  a sword 
which  was  kept  in  the  church  of  St.  Catherine  of  Fire- 
bois,  and  which,  though  she  had  never  seen  it,  she 
described  by  its  particular  mar;ks.  Charles  and  his  min- 
isters pretended  to  examine  her  claims%with  scrupu- 
lous exactness;  and  her  mission  was  pronounced  au- 
thentic and  supernatural  by  an  assemblage  of  doctors 
and  theologians,  and  by  the  parliament  of  France, 
then  residing  at  Poictiers. 

To  essay  the  power  of  Joan,  she  was  sent  to  Blois, 
where  a convoy  was  already  provided  for  the  relief  of 
Orleans,  and  an  army  of  ten  thousand  men  were  as- 
sembled to  escort  it.  The  holy  maid  marched  at  the 
head  of  the  troops,  and  displayed  in  her  hand  a con- 
secrated banner,  on  which  was  represented  the  Su- 
preme Being  holding  the  globe  of  the  earth.  The 
English  affected  to  deride  the  maid  and  her  heavenly 
commission  ; but  the  common  soldiers  were  insensibly 
impressed  with  horror,  and  waited  with  anxious  dread 
the  issue  of  these  extraordinary  preparations.  In  this 
state  of  the  public  mind  the  earl  of  Suffolk  durst  not 
venture  an  attack;  and  the  French  army  returned  to 
Blois  without  interruption.  The  maid  entered  the 
city  of  Orleans  arrayed  in  her  military  garb,  and  dis- 
playing her  consecrated  standard,  and  was  received  by 
the  inhabitants  as  a celestial  deliverer.  A second  con- 
voy approached  the  city,  on  the  side  of  Bausse  ; and 
the  wagons  and  troops  passed  without  interruption  be- 
tween the  redoubts  of  the  English,  who,  formerly 
elated  with  victory,  and  impatient  for  action,  beheld 
the  enterprises  of  their  enemies  in  silent  astonishment 
and  religious  awe.  The  maid  seized  the  critical  mo 
oient  and  exhorting  the  garrison  to  attack  the  enemy 


i38 


HISTORY  OF  ENGL  AND. 


in  their  intrenchments,  the  English  were  success 
sively  chased  from  their  posts  with  the  loss  of  above 
six  thousand  men.  In  vain  did  the  English  generals 
oppose  the  prevailing  opinion  of  supernatural  influ- 
ence ; the  English  had  lost  their  wonted  courage  and 
confidence,  and  were  seized  with  amazement  and 
despair. 

Unable  to  remain  longer  in  the  presence  of  a victo- 
rious enemy,  the  earl  of  Suffolk  raised  the  siege,  and 
retired  to  Jergeau,  which  was  attacked  by  the  French, 
under  the  command  of  Joan.  On  this  occasion,  the 
maid  displayed  her  usual  intrepidity,  and  led  the  at- 
tack. The  place  was  obstinately  defended ; but  the 
English  were  at  length  overpowered,  and  Suffolk  was 
obliged  to  yield  himself  prisoner.  The  remainder  of 
the  English  army,  commanded  by  Falstoffe.  Scales 
md  Talbot,  w'ere  pressed  by  the  constable  Richemont. 
They  were  overtaken  at  the  village  of  Patay  ; and  op- 
pressed by  their  fears,  they  immediately  fled.  Two 
thousand  of  the  English  were  slaughtered  ; and  both 
Scales  and  Talbot  were  made  prisoners. 

The  maid  had  fulfilled  one  part  of  her  promise  ; and 
she  now  strongly  insisted  that  the  king  should  be 
crowned  at  Pvheims,  The  city  itself  lay  in  a distant 
part  of  the  kingdom,  and  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Eng- 
lish ; and  the  whole  road  which  led  to  it  was  occupied 
by  their  garrisons.  However,  Charles  resolved  to  fol- 
low the  exhortations  of  his  warlike  prophetess;  and 
he  set  out  for  Rheims,  at  the  head  of  twelve  thousand 
men.  Troyes  and  Chalons  opened  their  gates  to  him; 
and  he  was  admitted  into  Rheims,  where  the  ceremo- 
ny of  his  coronation  was  performed.  From  this  act, 
as  from  a heavenly  commission,  Charles  seemed  to 
derive  an  additional  title  to  the  crown,  and  many 
towns  in  the  neighbourhood  immediately  submitted  to 
his  authority. 

The  abilities  of  the  duke  of  Bedford  were  never  dis 
UW1  played  to  more  advantage  than  on  this  occasion 
-*  He  put  all  the  English  garrisons  in  a posture 
of  defence ; he  retained  the  Parisians  in  obedience  by 
alternately  employing  caresses  and  menaces  ; and  he 
had  the  address  to  renew,  in  this  dangerous  crisis,  his 
alliance  with  the  duke  of  Burgundy,  who  had 'begun  t« 
waver  in  his  fidelity.  The  French  army  which  con 


HENRY  VI. 


139 


sisted  chiefly  of  volunteers,  soon  after  disbanded  ; and 
Charles,  after  having  possessed  himself  of  Laval,  Lag- 
ni,  and  St.  Denys,  retired  to  Bourges.  Bedford  caus 
ed  Henry  the  Sixth  to  be  crowned  and  anointed  at  Pa- 
ris, and  exacted  an  oath  of  allegiance  from  all  who  liv- 
ed .n  the  provinces  still  possessed  by  England. 

After  the  coronation  of  Charles  atRheims,  the  maid 
of  Orleans  declared  that  her  mission  was  now  fulfil- 
ied  ; but  the  count  of  Dunois  exhorted  her  to  perse 
vere  till  the  English  should  be  finally  expelled.  Over- 
come by  his  importunities,  she  had  thrown  herself  in- 
to the  town  of  Compiegne,  which  was  at  that  time  be- 
sieged by  the  duke  of  Bedford,  assisted  by  the  earls  of 
Arundel  and  Suffolk.  In  a sally,  she  was  deserted  by 
her  friends,  probably  out  of  envy  ; and  being  surround- 
ed by  the  enemy,  she  was  taken  prisoner.  The  duke 
of  Bedford  purchased  the  captive  from  John  of  Lux- 
emburg, into  whose  hands  she  had  fallen,  and  com- 
uenoed  a prosecution  against  her,  which,  whether  un- 
’ertaken  from  policy  or  revenge,  was  equally  barba- 
ous  and  dishonourable.  She  was  tried  for  sorcery/ 
mpiety,  idolatry,  and  magic  j and  though  harassed  by 
interrogatories  for  the  space  of  four  hours,  she  betray- 
ed no  weakness  or  womanish  submission,  but  answer- 
ed with  firmness  and  intrepidity.  However,  she  was 
convicted  of  all  the  crimes  of  which  she  had  been  ac- 
cused, aggravated  by  heresy  ; her  revelations  were  de- 
clared to  be  the  inventions  of  the  devil  to  delude  the 
people  5 and  she  was  sentenced  to  be  burnt  in  the 
market-place  of  Rouen.  The  inhuman  sentence  was 
accordingly  executed  ; and  the  unhappy  victim  expi- 
ated by  her  death  the  signal  services  which  she  had 
rendered  to  her  prince  and  her  country. 

The  affairs  of  the  English,  instead  of  being  advanced 
oy  this  inhuman  act,  became  every  day  more  ruinous  ; 
and  the  abilities  of  Bedford  were  unable  to  prevent 
the  French  from  returning  under  the  obedience  of 
their  legitimate  sovereign.  The  duke  of  Burgundv 
determined  to  unite  himself  to  the  royal  family  of 
14351  France,  from  which  his  own  had  descended  ; 

* and  a congress  was  appointed  at  Arras,  in  which 
were  adjusted  the  mutual  pretensions  of  Charles  and 
Philip.  Soon  after  this  transaction,  the  Duke  of  Bed 
ford  expired,  a prince  of  great  abilities  and  many  t ir 


i40 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


tues,  and  whose  memory  is  chiefly  tarnished  by  the 
execution  of  the  maid  of  Orleans.  After  his  death, 
the  court  of  Henry  was  distracted  by  the  rival  parties 
of  the  duke  of  Gloucester  and  the  cardinal  of  Win- 
chester : and  it  was  seven  months  before  the  duke  of 
York,  son  to  the  earl  of  Cambridge,  who  had  been  ex- 
ecuted in  the  beginning  of  the  last  reign,  was  appoint- 
ed successor  to  the  duke  of  Bedford.  On  h:.s  arrival  in 
France,  the  new  governor  found  the  capital  already 
lost.  The  Parisians  were  attached  to  the  house  of 
Burgundy  ; and  after  the  conclusion  of  the  treaty  of 
Arras,  they  returned  to  their  allegiance  under  their 
native  sovereign.  Lord  Willoughby,  with  an  English 
garrison  of  fifteen  hundred  men,  retired  into  the  Bas- 
tile  ; but  his  valour  and  skill  only  served  to  procure 
him  a capitulation,  by  which  he  was  allowed  with  his 
troops  a safe  retreat  into  Normandy. 

The  cardinal  of  Winchester  had  always  encouraged 
every  proposal  of  accommodation  with  France,  and  had 
represented  the  utter  impossibility  of  pushing  farther 
the  conquests  in  that  kingdom  3 but  the  duke  of  Glou- 
cester, high-spirited  and  haughty,  and  educated  in  the 
lofty  pretensions  which  the  first  successes  of  his  two 
brothers  had  rendered  familiar  to  him,  could  not  be 
induced  to  relinquish  all  hopes  of  subduing  France 
However,  the  earl  of  Suffolk,  who  adhered  to  the  car- 
dinal’s party,  was  despatched  to  Tours  to  negotiate 
14431  French  ministers.  As  it  was  found 

■*  impossible  to  adjust  the  terms  of  a lasting  peace, 
a truce  for  twenty-two  months  was  concluded  ; and 
Suffolk  proceeded  to  the  execution  of  another  busi- 
ness, which  seems  to  have  been  rather  implied  than 
expressed  in  the  powers  granted  to  him. 

As  Henry  advanced  in  years,  his  character  became 
fully  known.  He  was  found  to  be  of  the  most  harm- 
less, simple  manners,  but  of  the  most  slender  capaci- 
ty ; and  hence  it  was  easy  to  foresee  that  his  reign 
would  prove  a perpetual  minority.  As  he  had  now, 
However,  reached  the  twenty-third  year  of  his  age,  it 
was  natural  to  think  of  choosing  him  a queen.  The 
lluke  of  Gloucester  proposed  a daughter  of  the  count 
of  Armagnac,  but  the  cardinal  and  his  friends  cast  their 
eyes  on  Margaret  of  Anjou,  daughter  of  Regnier,  tir 
ular  king  of  Sicily,  Naples,  and  Jerusalem  j a prim  es* 


HENRY  VI. 


141 


accomplished  both  in  person  and  mind,  of  a masculine 
spirit,  and  an  enterprizing  temper,  which  she  had  not 
been  able  to  conceal  even  in  the  privacy  of  her  fa- 
ther’s family.  The  earl  of  Suffolk,  in  concert  with 
his  associates  of  the  English  council,  made  proposals 
of  marriage  to  Margaret,  which  were  accepted. 
Though  Margaret  brought  no  dowry  with  her,  this  no- 
bleman ventured  of  himself,  without  any  direct  author 
ity  from  the  council,  but  probably  with  the  approba 
tion  of  the  cardinal  and  the  ruling  members,  to  en- 
gage, by  a secret  article,  that  the  province  of  Maine, 
which  was  at  that  time  in  the  hands  of  the  English, 
should  be  ceded  to  Charles  of  Anjou,  her  uncle,  who 
was  prime  minister  and  favourite  of  the  French  king, 
and  who  had  already  received  from  his  master  the 
grant  of  that  province  as  his  appanage. 

The  treaty  of  marriage  was  ratified  in  England  : 
Suffolk  obtained  first  the  title  of  marquis,  then  that  of 
duke  ; and  even  received  the  thanks  of  parliament  for 
iiis  services  in  concluding  it.  The  princess  immedi- 
ately fell  into  close  connexions  with  the  cardinal  and 
his  party,  who,  fortified  by  her  powerful  patronage,  re 
solved  on  the  final  ruin  of  the  duke  of  Gloucester. 

This  generous  prince,  ill-suited  to  court  intrigues, 
but  possessing  in  a high  degree  the  favour  of  the  pub- 
lic, had  received  from  his  rivals  a cruel  mortification, 
which  he  had  hitherto  borne  without  violating  the  pub- 
lic peace,  but  which  it  was  impossible  that  a person 
of  his  spirit  and  humanity  could  ever  forgive.  His 
duchess,  the  daughter  of  Reginald  lord  Cobham,  had 
been  accused  of  the  crime  of  witchcraft;  and  it  was 
pretended  that  the  e was  found  in  her  possession  a 
waxen  figure  of  the  king,  which  she  and  her  associ- 
ates, sir  Roger  Bolingbroke,  a priest,  and  one  Margery 
Jordan  of  Eye,  melted  in  a magical  manner  before  a 
slow  fire,  with  an  intention  of  making  Henry’s  force 
and  vigour  waste  away,  by  like  insensible  degrees. 
The  accusation  was  well  calculated  to  affect  the  weak 
and  credulous  mind  of  the  king,  and  to  gain  belief  in 
an  ignorant  age  ; and  the  duchess  was  brought  to  trial 
with  her  confederates.  A charge  of  this  ridiculous 
nature  seems  always  to  exempt  the  accusers  from  ob- 
serving the  rules  of  common  sense  in  their  evidence  : 
the  prisoners  were  pronounced  guilty;  the  duchess 


142 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


was  condemned  to  do  public  penance,  and  to  suffer 
perpetual  imprisonment  and  the  others  were  execut- 
ed. As  these  violent  proceedings  were  ascribed  sole- 
ly to  the  malice  of  the  duke’s  enemies,  the  people, 
contrary  to  their  usual  practice  in  such  trials,  acquit 
ted  the  unhappy  sufferers,  and  increased  their  esteem 
and  affection  towards  a prince  who  was  thus  exposed 
to  mortal  injuries. 

These  sentiments  of  the  public  made  the  cardinal 
and  his  party  sensible  that  it  was  necessary  to  destroy 
a man  whom  they  had  so  deeply  injured.  In  order  to 
effect  their  purpose,  a parliament  was  summoned  to 
meet,  not  at  London,  which  was  supposed  to  be  too 
well  affected  to  the  duke,  but  at  St.  Edmondsbury.  As 
soon  as  Gloucester  appeared,  he  was  accused 

1 J of  treason,  and  thrown  into  prison  : he  was  soon 
after  found  dead  in  his  bed  5 and  though  it  was  pre- 
tended that  his  death  was  natural,  and  his  body  bore  no 
marks  of  outward  violence,  ho  one  doubted  but  he  had 
rallen  a victim  to  the  vengeance  of  his  enemies. 

The  cardinal  of  Winchester  died  six  weeks  after  his 
nephew,  whose  murder  was  universally  ascribed  to 
him  as  well  as  to  the  duke  of  Suffolk,  and  which,  it  is 
said,  gave  him  more  remorse  in  his  last  moments,  than 
could  be  naturally  expected  from  a man  hardened,  dur- 
ing the  course  of  a long  life,  in  falsehood  and  in  poli- 
tics. What  share  the  queen  had  in  this  guilt  is  un- 
certain : her  usual  activity  and  spirit  made  the  people 
conclude,  with  some  reason,  that  the  duke’s  enemjes 
durst  not  have  ventured  on  such  a deed  without  her 
privity.  But  there  happened,  soon  after,  an  event  of 
which  she  and  her  favourite,  the  duke  of  SuffotK,  bore 
incontestibly  the  whole  odium. 

The  article  of  the  marriage  treaty,  by  which  the 
province  of  Maine  was  to  be  ceded  to  Charles  of  An- 
jou, the  queen’s  uncle,  had  been  hitherto  kept  secret; 
out  as  the  court  of  France  strenuously  insisted  on  its 
performance,  orders  were  now  despatched,  under  Hen- 
ry’s hand,  to  Sir  Frances  Surienne,  governor  of  Mans, 
to  surrender  that  place.  Surienne,  questioning  the 
authenticity  of  the  order,  refused  to  comply;  but  a 
French  army,  under  the  count  of  Dunois,  obliged 
him  to  surrender  not  only  Mans,  but  all  the  other  for- 
tresses, in  that  province.  Surienne,  at  the  head  of  hU 


HENRI  VI. 


143 


garrisons,  retired  into  Normandy ; bat  the  duke  of 
Somerset,  who  was  governor  of  that  province,  refused 
to  admit  him  ; and  this  adventurer  marched  into  Brit- 
tany, and  subsisted  his  troops  by  the  ravages  which 
he  exercised.  The  duke  of  Brittany  complained  of 
this  violence  to  the  king  of  France,  his  liege  lord , 
and  Charles  remonstrated  with  Somerset,  who  replied 
that  the  injury  was  done  without  his  privity,  and  that 
he  had  no  authority  over  Surienne.  Charles  refused 
to  admit  of  this  apology,  and  insisted  that  reparation 
should  be  made  to  the  duke  of  Brittany  for  all  the 
damages  which  he  had  sustained;  and,  in  order  to 
render  an  accommodation  absolutely  impracticable, 
he  estimated  the  loss  at  no  less  a sum  than  one  mil 
lion  six  hundred  thousand  crowns. 

Sensible  of  the  superiority  which  the  present  state 
of  his  affairs  gave  him  over  England,  he  was  deter- 
mined to  take  advantage  of  it ; and,  accordingly,  Nor- 
mandy was  at  once  invaded  by  four  powerful  armies  : 
J44Q1  ^rst  commanded  by  the  king  of  France 
himself;  the  second,  by  the  duke  of  Brittany  ; 
the  third,  by  the  duke  of  Alent^on  ; and  the  fourth  by 
the  count  of  Dunois.  The  conquest  of  Normandy 
was  speedily  finished  by  Charles.  A like  rapid  suc- 
cess attended  the  French  arms  in  Guienne  ; and  the 
English  were  expelled  from  a province  which  they 
had  held  for  three  centuries. 

The  palpable  weakness  of  Henry  the  Sixth  had  en- 
couraged a pretender  to  the  crown  of  England;  and 
the  English  were  doomed  to  pay,  though  late,  the 
penalty  of  their  turbulence  under  Richard  the  Second, 
und  of  their  levity  in  violating,  without  any  necessity, 
the  lineal  succession  of  their  monarchs.  All  the 
males  of  the  house  of  Mortimer  were  extinct : but 
Anne,  the  sister  of  the  last  earl  of  Marche,  having 
espoused  the  earl  of  Cambridge,  beheaded  in  the 
reign  of  Henry  V.,  had  transmitted  her  latent,  but  not  * 
yet  forgotten,  claim  to  her  son,  Richard  duke  of  York. 
This  prince,  thus  descended  by  his  mother  from  Phi- 
lippa, only  daughter  of  the  duke  of  Clarence,  second 
son  of  Edward  111.,  stood  plainly  in  the  order  of  suc- 
cession before  the  king,  who  derived  his  descent  from 
the  duke  of  Lancaster,  third  son  of  that  monarch  ; 
and  that  claim  could  not,  in  many  respects  have  fa!- 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


144 

len  into  more  dangerous  hands  than  those  of  the  duke 
of  York.  Richard  was  a man  of  valour  and  abilities, 
of  a prudent  conduct  and  mild  disposition  . he  had 
enjoyed  an  opportunity  of  displaying  these  virtues  in  * 
his  government  of  France  ; and  though  recalled  by 
the  intrigues  and  superior  interest  of  the  duke  of  Som- 
erset, he  had  been  sent  to  suopress  a rebellion  in  Ire- 
land ; and  had  even  been  able  to  attach  to  his  person 
and  family  the  whole  Irish  nation,  whom  he  was  sent 
to  subdue.  In  the  right  of  his  father,  he  bore  the  rank 
of  first  prince  of  the  blood ; and  by  this  station  he 
gave  a lustre  to  his  title  derived  from  the  family  of 
Mortimer,  which,  however,  had  been  eclipsed  by  the 
royal  descent  of  the  house  of  Lancaster.  He  possess- 
ed an  immense  fortune  from  the  union  of  so  many 
successions,  those  of  Cambridge  and  York  on  the  one 
hand,  with  those  of  Mortimer  on  the  other  ; which 
last  inheritance  had  before  been  augmented  by  an 
union  of  the  estates  of  Clarence  and  Ulster,  with  the 
patrimonial  possessions  of  the  family  t)f  Marche. 
The  alliance  too  of  Richard,  by  his  marrying  the 
daughter  of  Ralph  Nevil,  earl  of  Westmoreland,  had 
widely  extended  his  interest  among  the  nobility,  and 
had  procured  him  many  connexions  in  that  formidable 
order.  Among  the  rest  he  was  nearly  allied  to  the 
earl  of  Warwick,  commonly  known,  from  the  subse- 
quent events,  by  the  appellation  of  the  King-maker. 

This  nobleman  had  distinguished  himself  by  his 
gallantry  in  the  field,  by  the  hospitality  of  his  table 
by  the  magnificence,  and  still  more  by  the  generosity 
of  his  expense,  and  by  the  spirited  and  bold  manner 
which  attended  him  in  all  his  actions.  The  undesign- 
ing frankness  and  openness  of  his  character  rendered 
his  conquest  over  men's  affections  the  more  cerU:n. 
No  less  than  thirty  thousand  persons  are  said  to  have 
daily  lived  at  his  expense  in  the  different  manors  and 
•castles  which  he  possessed  ; and  he  was  the  greatest, 
as  well  as  the  last,  of  those  mighty  barons,  who  for- 
merly overawed  the  crown. 

The  humours  of  the  people,  set  afloat  by  a parlia- 
mentary impeachment,  and  by  the  fali  of  the  duke  of 
Suffolk,  broke  out  in  various  commotions,  which  were 
soon  suppressed;  but  an  insurrection  in  Kent  was  at- 
tended with  more  dangerous  consequences.  One  John 


HENRY  VI. 


Cade,  a native  of  Ireland,  a man  of  low  condition, 
who  had  been  obliged  to  fly  into  France  for  crimes, 
observed,  on  his  return  to  England,  the  discontents  of 
the  people,  and  assumed  the  name  of  John  Mortimer. 
On  the  first  mention  of  that  popular  name,  the  com- 
mon people  of  Kent,  to  the  number  of  twenty  thou- 
sand, flocked  to  Cade’s  standard  5 and  he  inflamed 
their  zeal  by  publishing  complaints  against  the  numer- 
ous abuses  in  government,  and  demanding  a redress 
of  grievances.  Cade  advanced  with  his  followers  to- 
wards London,  and  encamped  on  Blackheath  3 and 
transmitting  to  the  court  a plausible  list  of  grievan- 
ces, he  promised  that  when  these  should  be  redressed, 
and  Lord  Say  the  treasurer,  and  Cromer  sheriff  of 
Kent,  should  be  punished  for  their  malversations,  he 
would  immediately  lay  down  his  arms.  The  council, 
perceiving  the  reluctance  of  the  people  to  fight  against 
men  so  reasonable  in  their  pretensions,  carried  the 
king,  for  present  safety,  to  Kenilworth  ; and  the  city 
mmediately  opened  its  gates  to  Cade,  who  maintain- 
ed, during  some  time,  great  order  and  discipline 
among  his  followers.  But  being  obliged,  in  order  to 
gratify  their  malevolence  against  Say  and  Cromer,  to 
put  these  men  to  death  without  a legal  trial,  he  found 
that  after  the  commission  of  this  crime,  he  was  no 
longer  able  to  control  their  riotous  disposition,  and 
that  all  his  orders  were  disobeyed.  Proceeding  to  acts 
of  plunder  and  violence,  the  citizens  became  alarm 
ed,  and  shut  their  gates  against  them  ; and*,  being  sec 
onded  by  a detachment  of  soldiers  sent  them  by  Lord 
Scales,  governor  of  the  tower,  they  repulsed  the  reb- 
els with  great  slaughter.  The  Kentishmen  were  so 
discouraged  by  the  blow,  that  upon  receiving  a gener- 
al pardon  from  the  primate,  then  chancellor,  they  re- 
treated towards  Rochester,  and  there  dispersed.  The 
pardon,  however,  was  soon  after  annulled,  as  extorted 
by  violence  : a price  was  set  on  Cade’s  head,  who  was 
killed  by  one  Iden,  a gentleman  of  Sussex  3 and  many 
of  his  followers  were  punished  with  death. 

The  court  suspected  that  the  duke  of  York  had  se- 
cretly instigated  Cade  to  this  attempt,  to  sound  the 
dispositions  of  the  people  towards  his  title  and  family  ; 
and  fearing  that  he  intended  to  return  from  Ireland 
with  an  armed  force,  the  ruling  part.v  issued  orders 

VOL  l.  10 


.46 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


debarring  him  entrance  into  England.  The  duke  re- 
futed his  enemies  by  coming  attended  with  only  nia 
ordinary  retinue  ; but  finding  himself  an  object  of  jeal- 
ousy, be  saw  the  impossibility  of  remaining  a quiet 
subject,  and  the  necessity  of  proceeding  forwards  in 
support  of  his  important  claim.  His  partisans,  there- 
fore, were  instructed  to  maintain  his  right  by  succes- 
sion, and  by  the  established  constitution  of  the  king- 
dom ; and  the  arguments  adduced  by  his  adherents 
and  those  of  the  reigning  family  divided  and  distract- 
ed the  people.  The  noblemen  of  greatest  influence 
espoused  the  part  of  the  duke  of  York  ; but  the  earl 
of  Northumberland  adhered  to  the  present  govern- 
ment ; and  the  earl  of  Westmoreland,  though  head  of 
the  family  of  Nevil,  was  prevailed  on  to  support  the 
cause  of  Henry. 

The  public  discontents  were  increased  by  the  loss 
of  the  province 'of  Gascony,  which  was  subdued  by 
the  French  *,  and  though  the  English  might  deem 
themselves  happy  in  being  freed  from  all  continental 
possessions,  they  expressed  great  dissatisfaction  on 
the  occasion,  and  threw  all  the  blame  on  the  minis- 
try. While  they  were  in  this  disposition,  the  queen's 
delivery  of  a son,  who  received  the  name  of  Edward, 
had  a tendency  to  inflame  the  public  mind,  as  it  re- 
moved all  hopes  of  the  peaceable  succession  of  tne 
duke  of  York,  who  was  otherwise,  in  the  right  of  his 
father,  and  by  the  laws  enacted  since  the  accession 
of  the  house  of  Lancaster,  next  heir  to  the  crown. 
The  duke,  however,  was  incapable  of  violent  coun- 
cils ; and  even  when  no  visible  obstacles  lay  between 
him  and  the  throne,  he  was  prevented  by  his  own 
scruples  from  mounting  it.  Henry,  always  unfit  to 
exercise  the  government,  fell  about  this  time  into  a 
distemper,  which  so  far  increased  his  natural  imbecil- 
ity, that  it  rendered  him  incapable  of  maintaining  even 
the  appearance  of  royality.  The  queen  and  the  coun- 
cil, destitute  of  this  support,  and  finding  themselves 
unable  to  resist  the  York  party,  were  obliged  to  yield 
to  the  torrent.  They  sent  to  the  tower  the  duke  of 
Somerset,  who  had  succeeded  to  Suffolk's  influence 
in  the  ministry,  and  who  had  soon  become  equally 
the  object  of  public  animosity  and  hatred  ; and  they 
appointed  Richard  lieutenant  of  the  kingdom,  with 


HENRY  VI.  117 

powers  to  open  and  hold  a session  of  parliament.  Thai 
assembly  also,  taking  into  consideration  the  state  of 
the  kingdom,  created  him  protector  daring  pleasure 
Yet  the  duke,  instead  of  pushing  them  to  make  far- 
ther concessions,  appeared  somewhat  timid  and  irres- 
olute, even  in  receiving  the  power  which  was  tender- 
ed to  him.  This  moderation  of  Richard  was  certainly 
very  unusual  and  very  amiable  ; yet  was  it  attended 
with  bad  consequences  in  the  present  juncture,  and( 
by  giving  time  to  the  animosities  of  faction  to  rise 
and  ferment,  it  proved  the  source  of  all  those  furious 
wars  and  commotions  which  ensued. 

The  enemies  of  the  duke  of  York  soon  found  it  in 
their  power  to  make  advantage  of  his  excessive  cau- 
tion. Henry  being  so  far  recovered  from  his  distem- 
per as  to  carry  the  appearance  of  exercising  the  royal 
power,  was  moved  to  resume  his  authority,  to  annul 
the  protectorship  of  the  duke,  to  release  Somerset 
from  the  tower,  and  to  commit  the  administration  in- 
to the  hands  of  that  nobleman.  Richard,  sensible  of 
the  dangers  to  which  he  might  be  exposed,  if  he  sub- 
mitted to  the  annulling  of  the  parliamentary  commis- 
sion, levied  an  army  ; but  still  without  advancing  any 
pretensions  to  the  crown.  He  complained  only  of 
the  king's  ministers,  and  demanded  a reformation  of  ■ 

the  government.  A battle  was  fought  at  St.  Alban's’ 

14 551  ln  ^ie  Yorkists,  without  suffering  any 

■*  material  loss,  slew  about  five  thousand  of  their 
enemies.  The  king  himself  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  duke  of  York,  who  treated  him  with  great  .resp  ect 
and  tenderness  ; and  he  was  only  obliged,  which  he  re- 
garded as  no  hardship,  to  commit  the  whole  authority 
of  the  crown  into  the  hands  of  his  rival.  This  was 
the  first  blood  spilt  in  that  fatal  quarrel  between  the 
houses  of  York  and  Lancaster,  which  lasted  for  thirty 
years,  and  which  is  computed  to  have  cost  the  lives 
of  eighty  princes  of  the  blood,  and  almost  entirely  an 
nihilated  the  ancient  nobility  of  England. 

An  outward  reconciliation  w'as  effected,  by  means 
of  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  between  the  two  par- 
ties 5 but  it  was  evident,  that  the  contest  for  a crown 
could  not  thus  be  peaceably  accommodated.  One  of  the 
king's  retinue  insulted  one  of  the  earl  of  Warwick's, 
and  their  comoanions  on  both  sides  took  part  in  the 


149 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


quarrel  , a fierce  combat  ensued  j the  earl,  apprehend 
ing  Ins  life  to  be  aimed  at,  fled  to  his  government  of 
Calais,  which  gave  him  ths  command  of  the  only  reg 
ill ar  force  maintained  by  England  j and  both  parties, 
in  every  country,  openly  made  preparations  for  deci- 
ding the  contest  by  arms. 

The  earl  of  Salisoury,  marching  to  join  the  duke  of 
York,  was  overtaken  at  Blore-heath,  on  the  borders 
of  Staffordshire,  by  lord  Audley,  wJjo  commanded 
much  superior  forces.  A small  rivulet  ran  between 
the  two  armies  5 and  when  the  van  of  the  royal  army 
had  passed  the  brook,  Salisbury  suddenly  attacked 
them,  and  put  them  to  the  rout  3 and  obtaining  a com- 
plete victory,  he  reached  the  general  rendezvous  of 
the  Yorkists  at  Ludlow.  To  the  same  place,  the  earl 
of  Warwick  brought  a choice  body  of  veterans  from 
Calais,  on  whom  it  was  thought  the  fortune  of  the 
war  would  much  depend  3 but  when  the  royal  army 
approached,  and  a general  action  was  every  hour  ex- 
pected, sir  Andrew  Trollop,  who  commanded  the 
veterans,  deserted  to  the  king  in  the  night  time,  and 
the  Yorkists  were  so  dismayed  at  this  instance  of 
treachery,  which  made  every  man  suspicious  of  his 
fellow,  that  they  separated  next  day,  without  striking 
a stroke.  The  duke  fled  to  Ireland  3 the  earl  of  War- 
wick, attended  by  many  of  the  other  leaders,  escaped 
to  Calais,  where  his  great  popularity  among  all  orders 
of  men  soon  drew  to  him  partisans  5 and  the  friends 
of  the  house  of  York,  in  England,  kept  themselves 
every  where  in  readiness  to  rise  on  the  first  sum- 
mons. 

After  meeting  with  some  success  at  sea,  Warwick 
landed  in  Kent,  with  the  earl  of  Salisbury,  and  the 
earl  of  Marche,  eldest  son  of  the  duke  of  York  3 and 
being  met  by  the  primate,  by  lord  Cobham,  and  other 
persons  of  distinction,  he  marched,  amidst  the  accla- 
mations of  the  people,  to  London.  A battle  was 
fought  at  Northampton,  and  was  soon  decided  against 
the  royalists,  of  whom  the  duke  of  Buckingham,  the 
earl  of  Shrewsbury,  the  lords  Beaumont  and  Egre 
mont,  and  sir  William  Lucie,  with  many  other  per 
sons  of  quality,  were  killed  in  the  action  or  pursuit. 
Henry  himself  was  again  taken  prisoner  ; and  as  th« 
innocence  and  simplicity  of  his  manners  had  procur 


HENRY  VI. 


149 

#d  him  the  tender  regard  of  the  people,  he  was  treat- 
ed with  abundant  respect. 

A parliament  was  summoned  in  the  king’s  name  at 
Westminster,  where  the  duke  of  York  soon  after  ap- 
peared from  Ireland.  This  prince  stated  to  the  house 
of  peers  his  own  claim  to  the  crown,  and  exhorted 
them  to  do  justice  to  the  lineal  successor.  The  lords 
remained  in  some  suspense,  but  at  length  declared  in 
favour  of  the  duke  of  York.  They  determined,  how- 
ever, that  Henry  should  possess  the  dignity  during 
the  remainder  of  his  life  5 that  the  administration"  of 
the  government  should  in  the  mean  while  remain 
with  Richard  ; and  that  he  should  be  acknowledged 
the  true  and  lawful  heir  of  the  monarchy. 

But  Margaret,  whose  high  spirit  spurned  at  the  com- 
pact, was  not  remiss  in  defending  the  rights  of  her 
family.  After  the  b.  qle  of  Northampton,  she  had  fled 
with  her  infant  son  to  the  north,  where  he’,  -liability, 
insinuation,  and  address,  among  the  north-ra  barons, 
raised  her  an  army  twenty  thousand  strong,  with  a ce- 
lerity which  was  neither  expected  by  her  friends,  ncr 
apprehended  by  her  enemies.  The  duke  of  York,  in- 
formed of  her  appearance  in  the  north,  hastened  thith- 
er with  a body  of  five  thousand  men  j but  on  his  arri- 
val at  Wakefield,  finding  himself  so  much  outnumber- 
ed by  the  enemy,  he  threw  himself  into  Sandal  castle  : 
and  was  advised  by  the  earl  of  Salisbury  and  other 
prudent  counsellors,  to  remain  in  that  fortress,  till  his 
son,  the  earl  of  Marche,  who  was  levying  forces  in 
trie  borders  of  Wales,  could  advance  to  his  assistance. 
But  the  duke,  who  possessed  personal  bravery  in  an 
eminent  degree,  thought  that  he  should  be  forever 
disgraced,  if,  by  taking  shelter  behind  walls,  he  should 
foi  a moment  resign  the  victory  to  a woman.  He 
therefore  descended  into  the  plain,  and  offered  battle 
to  the  enemy,  which  was  instantly  accepted.  The 
great  inequality  of  numbers  was  alone  sufficient  to  de- 
cide the  victory  5 but  the  queen,  by  sending  a detach- 
ment, who  fell  on  the  back  of  the  duke’s  army,  ren 
dered  her  advantage  still  more  certain  and  undisputed 
The  duke  himself  was  killed  in  the  action  ; and  his 
head,  by  Margaret’s  orders,  was  fixed  on  the  gates  of 
York,  with  a paper  crown,  in  derision  of  his  pretend- 
ed title.  There  feli  near  three  thousand  Yorkists  if 


150 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


this  battle;  the  duke  himself  was  greatly  and  justly 
lamented  by  his  own  party.  He  perished  in  the  fifti- 
eth year  of  his  age,  and  left  three  sons,  Edward, 
George,  and  Richard,  with  three  daughters,  Anne, 
Elizabeth,  and  Margaret. 

The  queen,  after  this  important  victory,  divided  her 
army.  She  sent  the  smaller  division,  under  Jasper 
Tudor,  earl  of  Pembroke,  half  brother  to  the  king, 
against  Edward,  the  new  duke  of  York.  She  herself 
marched  with  the  larger  division  towards  London, 
where  the  earl  of  Warwick  had  been  left  with  the 
command  of  the  Yorkists.  Pembroke  was  defeated 
by  Edward  at  Mortimer’s  Cross,  in  Herefordshire, 
with  the  loss  of  near  four  thousand  men  ; but  Marga- 
ret compensated  this  defeat  by  a victory  which  she 
obtained  over  the  earl  of  Warwick  at  St.  Alban’s  ; and 
the  person  of  the  king  fell  again  into  the  hands  of  his 
own  party. 

The  queen,  however,  reaped  no  great  advantage 
from  this  victory.  Young  Edward  advanced  upon  her 
from  the  other  side;  and  collecting  the  remains  of 
Warwick’s  army,  he  was  soon  in  a condition  of  giv- 
i.  g her  battle  with  superior  force.  Sensible  of  her 
danger,  she  found  it  necessary  to  retreat  with  her  ar- 
my to  the  north;  and  Edward  entered  the  capital 
amidst  the  acclamations  of  the  citizens.  Instead  of 
confining  himself  to  the  narrow  limits  to  which  his 
father  had  submitted,  he  determined  to  avail  himself 
of  his  popularity,  and  to  assume  the  nam  ' and  dignity 
of  king.  His  army  was  ordered  to  assemble  in  St. 
John’s  Fields;  great  numbers  of  people  surrounded 
them  ; an  harangue  was  pronounced  to  this  mixed 
multitude,  setting  forth  the  title  of  Edward,  and  in- 
veighing against  the  tyranny  and  usurpation  of  the  ri- 
val family ; and  the  people  were  then  asked,  whether 
they  would  accept  of  Edward,  eldest  son  of  the  late 
duke  of  York,  for  their  king  ? They  expressed  their 
assen”  by  loud  and  joyful  acclamations.  A great  num- 
ber of  bishops,  lords,  magistrates,  and  other  persons 
of  distinction,  were  next  assembled  at  Baynard’s  cas- 
I4f  II  w^°  ratl^ie(^  tl]e  popular  election  ; and  the 

0 -*  new  king  was  on  the  subsequent  day  proclaim 
ed  in  London,  by  the  title  of  Edward  the  Fourth. 

In  this  manner  ended-  the  reign  of  Henry  VI  a 


EDWARD  IV. 


151 


monarch  who,  while  in  his  cradle,  had  been  proclaim 
ed  king  both  of  France  and  England,  and  who  began 
his  life  with  the  most  splendid  prospects  that  any 
prince  in  Europe  had  ever  enjoyed  His.weakness  and 
his  disputed  tide  were  the  chief  causes  of  the  public 
calamities  : but  whether  his  queen,  and  his  ministers, 
were  not  also  guilty  of  some  great  abuses  of  power, 
it.  is  not  easy  for  us  at  this  distance  of  time  to  deter- 
mine. The  scaffold,  as  well  as  the  field,  incessantly 
streamed  with  the  noblest  blood  of  England,  spilt  in 
the  quarrel  between  the  two  contending  families, 
whose  animosity  was  now  become  implacable.  The 
partisans  of  the  house  of  Lancaster  chose  the  red 
rose  as  their  mark  of  distinction  5 those  of  York 
were  denominated  from  the  white  3 and  these  civil 
wars  were  thus  known  over  Europe,  by  the  name  of 
the  quarrel  between  the  two  roses. 

Queen  Margaret  assembled  an  army  in  Yorkshire; 
and  the  king  and  the  earl  of  Warwick  hastened  with 
forty  thousand  men  to  check  her  progress.  In  a skir- 
mish for  the  passage  of  ferrybridge  over  the  river 
Ayre,  the  Yorkists  were  chased  back  with  great  slaugh- 
ter. The  earl  of  Warwick,  dreading  the  consequen- 
ces of  this  disaster,  at  a time  when  a decisive  action 
was  every  hour  expected,  immediately  ordered  his 
horse  to  be  brought  him,  whi  h he  stabbed  before  the 
whole  army  ; and  kissing  tl  e hilt  of  his  sword,  swore 
that  he  was  determined  to  share  the  fate  of  the  mean- 
est soldier.  And,  to  show  the  greatest  security,  a 
proclamation  was  at  the  same  time  issued,  giving  to 
every  one  full  liberty  to  retire  3 but  menacing  the  se- 
verest punishment  to  those  who  should  discover  any 
symptoms  of  cowardice  in  the  ensuing  battle. 

The  hostile  armies  met  at  Touton  3 and  a fierce  and 
bloody  battle  ensued,  which  ended  in  a total  victory 
on  the  side  of  the  Yorkists.  Edward  issued  orders  to 
give  no  quarter.  The  routed  army  was  pursued  to 
fadcaster  with  great  bloodshed  and  confusion  3 and 
above  thirty-six  thousand  men  are  computed  to  have 
fallen  in  the  battle  and  pursuit : among  these  were  the 
earl  of  Westmoreland  and  his  brother,  sir  John  Nevil, 
the  earl  of  Northumberland,  the  lords  Dacres  and 
Welles,  ano  sir  Andrew  Trollop.  The  earl  of  Dev 
onshire,  who  was  now  engaged  in  Henry’s  party,  was 


152 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


brought  a prisoner  to  Edward  ; and  was,  soon  after 
beheaded  by  martial  law  at  York.  Henry  and  Marga 
ret  had  remained  at  ¥"ork  during  the  action  ; bu 
learning  the  defeat  of  their  army,  and  being  sensible 
that  no  place  in  England  could  now  afford  them  shel- 
ter, they  fled  with  great"  precipitation  into  Scotland  3 
and  on  Margaret’s  offering  to  the  Scottish  council  to 
deliver  to  them  immediately  the  important  fortress  of 
Berwick,  and  to  contract  her  son  in  marriage  with  a 
sister  of  king  James,  the  Scots  promised  the  assist- 
ance of  their  arms  to  reinstate  her  family  upon  the 
throne. 

But  as  the  danger  from  that  quarter  seemed  not  ve- 
ry urgent  to  Edward,  he  did  not  pursue  the  fugitive 
king  and  queen  into  their  retreat ; but  returned  to 
London,  where  a parliament  was  summoned  for  set- 
tling the  government.  That  assembly  no  longer  hesi- 
tated between  the  two  families ; they  recognised  the 
title  of  Edward,  and  passed  an  act  of  attainder  against 
Henry  and  Margaret,  against  their  infant  son  Edward 
and  their  principal  adhereifts. 

However,  Lewis  the  eleventh  of  France,  a prince 
of  an  intriguing  and  politic  genius,  sent  a body  of  two 
thousand  men  at  arms  to  the  assistance  of  Henry. 
These  enabled  Margaret  to  take  the  field  ; but  though 
reinforced  by  a numerous  train  of  adventurers  from 
Scotland,  and  by  many  partisans  of  the  family  of  Lan- 
caster, she  received  a check  at  Hedgley-moor  from 
lord  Montague,  brother  to  the  earl  of  Warwick,  who 
was  so  encouraged  with  this  success,  that,  while  a 
numerous  reinforcement  was  on  their  march  to  join 
him  by  orders  from  Edward,  he  ventured,  with  his 
own  troops  alone,  to  attack  the  Lancastrians  at  Hex- 
ham ; and  obtained  a complete . victory  over  them. 
All  those  who  were  spared  in  the  field  suffered  on  the 
scaffold;  and  the  utter  extermination  of  their  adver- 
saries was  now  become  the  plain  object  of  thet  York 
party. 

The  fate  of  the  unfortunate  royal  family,  after  this 
defeat,  was  singular.  Margaret,  fleeing  with  her  son 
into  a forest,  was  beset,  during  the  darkness  of  the 
night,  by  robbers,  who  despoiled  her  of  her  rings  mu 
jewels,  and  treated  her  with  the  utmost  indignity. 
The  partition  of  this  rich  booty  raise  i a quarrel  arnony 


EDWARD  IV. 


153 


them  5 and  while  their  attention  was  thus  engaged, 
6he  took  an  opportunity  of  plunging  with  her  son  into 
the  depths  of  the  forfcst.  While  in  this  wretched  con- 
dition, she  saw  a robber  approach  with  his  naked  sword  ; 
and  finding  that  she  had  no  means  of  escape,  she  sud- 
denly advanced  towards  him  5 and  presenting  to  him 
the  young  prince,  called  out  to  him,  “ Here,  my  friend, 
I commit  to  your  care  the  safety  of  your  king’s  son.” 
The  man,  whose  humanity  and  generous  spirit  had 
oeen  obscured,  not  entirely  lost,  by  his  vicious  course 
of  life,  was  charmed  with  the  confidence  reposed  in 
him,  and  vowed  not  only  to  abstain  from  all  injury 
against  the  princess,  but  to  devote  himself  entirely  to 
tier  service.  By  his  means  she  dwelt  some  time  con- 
cealed in  the  forest,  and  was  at  last  conducted  to  the 
sea-coast,  whence  she  made  her  escape  into  Flan- 
ders. She  passed  thence  to  her  fathers  court,  where 
she  lived  several  years  in  privacy  and  retirement.  Her 
husband  was  not  so  fortunate  nor  so  dexterous  in  find- 
ing the  means  of  escape.  Some  of  his  friends  took 
him  under  their  protection,  and  conveyed  him  into 
Lancashire,  where  he  remained  concealed  during  a 
year  ; but  he  was  at  last  detected,  delivered  up  to  Ed- 
I4fn  warc^  an(l  thrown  into  the  Tower.  The  preser- 
* vation  of  his  life  was  owing  less  to  the  generosi- 


ty of  his  enemies  than  to  the  contempt  which  they  had 
entertained  of  his  courage  and  understanding. 

The  imprisonment  of  Henry,  the  expulsion  of  Mar- 
garet, and  the  execution  and  confiscation  of  all  the 
most  eminent  Lancastrians,  seemed  to  give  full  secu- 
rity to  Edward’s  government  ; but  the  amorous  tem- 
per of  the  prince  led  him  into  an  act  which  proved  fa 
tal  to  his  repose,  and  to  the  stability  of  his  throne. 
El  zabeth  Grey,  daughter  of  the  duchess  of  Bedtord, 
by  her  second  marriage  with  Sir  Richard  Woodville 
and  widow  of  sir  John  Grey  of  Groby,  who  had  been 
slain  in  the  second  battle  of  St.  Albans,  fighting  on  the 
side  of  Lancaster,  and  whose  estate  had  been  confis- 
cated, seized  the  opportunity,  when  the  king  was  on  a 
visit  to  the  duchess  of  Bedford,  of  throwing  herself  at 
his  feet,  and  entreating  his  pity  for  her  impoverished 
and  distressed  children.  The  sight  of  so  much  beau 
ty  in  affliction  strongly  affected  Edward;  and  he  was 
reduced,  in  his  turn,  to  the  posture  of  a supplicant  at 


154  • HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

theTeet  of  Elizabeth.  But  the  lady  was  either  averse 
to  dishonourable  love,  or  inflamed  with  ambition  ; and 
the  caresses  and  importunities  of  the  young  and  amia- 
ble Edward  proved  fruitless  against  her  rigid  and  in- 
flexible virtue.  His  passion,  increased  by  opposition, 
carried  him  beyond  all  bounds  5 and  he  offered  to 
share  with  her  his  throne  as  well  as  his  heart.  The 
marriage  was  privately  celebrated  at  Grafton  ; and  the 
secret  was  carefully  kept  for  some  time,  from  motives 
of  policy,  which  at  that  time  rendered  this  proceed- 
ing highly  dangerous  and  imprudent. 

The  king  had  a little  before  cast  his  eye  on  Bona 
of  Savoy,  sister  of  the  queen  of  France,  who,  he 
hoped,  would,  by  her  marriage,  ensure  him  the  friend- 
ship of  that  power,  which  was  alone  both  able  and  in- 
clined to  give  support  and  assistance  to  his  rival.  To 
render  the  negotiation  more  successful,  the  earl  of 
Warwick  had  been  despatched  to  Paris,  where  the 
princess  then  resided.  This  nobleman  had  demand- 
ed Bona  in  marriage  for  the  king  5 his  proposals  had 
been  accepted  ; and  nothing  remained  but  the  ratifi- 
cation of  the  terms  agreed  on,  and  the  bringing  over 
the  princess  to  England.  But  when  the  secret  of  Ed- 
ward’s marriage  broke  out,  the  haughty  earl,  deeming 
himself  affronted,  returned  to  England,  inflamed  with 
rage  and  indignation;  and  an  extensive  and  dangerous 
combination  was  insensibly  formed  against  Edward 
and  his  ministry.  A rebellion  arosg  in  Lincolnshire, 
and  was  headed^by  sir  Robert  Welles,  son  to  the  lord 
of  that  name  ; but  the  king  defeated  the  army  of  the 
rebels,  took  their  leader  prisoner,  and  ordered  him 
immediately  to  execution. 

Edward  had  entertained  so  little  jealousy  of  the  earl 
of  Warwick  or  duke  of  Clarence  the  king’s  second 
brother,  who  had  married  the  earl’s  eldest  daughter 
that  he  sent  them  with  commissions  of  array  to  levy 
forces  against  the  rebels ; but  these  malcontents,  as 
soon  as  they  left  the  court,  raised  troops  in  their  own 
name,  issued  declarations  against  the  government,  and 
complained  of  grievances,  oppressions,  and  bad  min- 
isters. The  unexpected  defeat  of  Welles  disconcerted 
all  their  measures;  and  they  were  obliged  to  disband 
their  army,  and  to  fly  into  Devonshire.,  whence  the* 
embaiked  and  made  sail  towards  Calais 


! 

I 

i 


EDWARD  IV. 


Ioj 

The  king  of  France,  jealous  of  the  alliance  entered 
into  between  Edward  and  the  duke  of  Burgundy,  re- 
ceived Warwick  with  the  greatest  demonstrations  or 
regard,  and  hoped  to  make  him  his  instrument  for  re 
establishing  the  house  of  Lancaster.  Margaret  being 
sent  for  f-om  Angers,  where  she  then  re-ided,  an 
agreement  dictated  by  mutual  interest  was  soon  con- 
cluded between  them.  Edward,  however,  foresaw 
that  it  would  be  easy  to  dissolve  an  alliance  compos- 
ed of  such  discordant  materials.  He  employed  a lady 
in  the  train  of  the  duchess  of  Clarence,  to  represent 
to  the  duke  that  he  had  unwarily  become  the  instru- 
ment of  Warwick's  vengeance,  and  had  formed  a con 
nexion  with  the  murderers  of  his  father,  and  the  im- 
placable enemies  of  his  family.  Clarence,  struck  with 
the  force  of  these  arguments,  on  a promise  of  forgive- 
ness. secretly  engaged  to  abandon  the  Lancastrian  par 
ty.  Warwick  also  was  secretly  carrying  on  a corres- 
pondence of  the  same  nature  with  his  brother,  the 
marquis  of  Montague,  who  was  entirely  trusted  by  Ed- 
ward 3 and  like  motives  produced  a like  resolution  in 
that  nobleman.  Warwick  availed  himself  of  a storm 
to  cross  the  channel,  and  with  a small  body  of  French 
troops,  landed  at  Dartmouth,  accompanied  by  the  duke 
of  Clarence,  and  the  earls  of  Oxford  and  Pembroke. 

Edward  though  brave  and  active,  had  little  fore- 
sight. He  had  made  no  preparations  for  this  event  3 
14701  anc^  even  said,  that  he  wished  for  noth- 

J ing  more  than  to  see  Warwick  on  English 
ground.  However,  the  prodigious  popularity  of  that 
nobleman,  the  zeal  of  the  Lancastrian  party,  and  the 
spirit  of  discontent  with  which  many  were  infected, 
drew  sucl^  multitudes  to  his  standard,  that  in  a few 
days  his  army  amounted  to  sixty  thousand  men,  and 
was  continually  increasing.  Edward,  who  had  been 
employed  In  suppressing  an  insurrection  in  the  north, 
now  hastened  southwards  to  encounter  him  3 and  the 
two  armies  approached  each  other  near  Nottingham 
The  rapidity  of  Warwick's  progress  had  incapacitated 
the  duke  of  Clarence  from  executing  his  plan  of 
treachery  3 but  the  marquis  of  Montague,  having  com- 
municated the  design  to  his  adherents,  took  to  arms  in 
the  night-time,  and  hastened  with  loud  acclamation! 
to  Edward's  quarters.  The  king  had  just  time  to  ge< 


156  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

on  horseback,  and  to  hurry  with  a small  retinue  t« 
Lynn  in  Norfolk,  where  finding  some  ships  ready,  he 
instantly  embarked.  Thus,  the  earl  of  Warwick,  in 
no  longer  space  than  eleven  days  after  his  first  land- 
ing, was-  left  entire  master  of  the  kingdom. 

Immediately  after  Edward’s  flight,  Warwick  hasten- 
ed to  London  ; and  delivering  Henry  from  his  confine- 
ment in  the  Tower,  he  proclaimed  him  king  with 
great  solemnity  ; and  every  thing  now  promise  a full 
settlement  of  the  English  crown  in  the  family  of  Lan- 
caster. However,  Edward  being  assisted  by  the  duke 
of  Burgundy,  his  brother-in-law,  though  in  a covert 
way,  he  set  sail  for  England  ; and  impatient  to  take 
vengeance  on  his  enemies,  he  made  an  attempt  to 
land  with  his  forces,  which  did  not  exceed  two  thou- 
sand men,  on  the  coast  of  Norfolk  ; but  being  there 
repulsed,  he  sailed  northwards,  and  disembarked  at 
Ravenspur  in  Yorkshire.  Finding  that  the  new  magis 
trates,  who  had  been  appointed  by  the  earl  of  War- 
wick, kept  the  people  every  where  from  joining  him, 
he  pretended,  and  even  made  oath,  that  he  came  not 
o challenge  the  crown,  but  only  the  inheritance  of 
.he  house  of  York,  which  of  right  belonged  to  him; 
and  that  he  did  not  intend  to  disturb  the  peace  of  the 
kingdom.  His  partisans  every  moment  flocked  to  his 
standard;  he  was  admitted  into  the  city  of  York;  and 
he  was  soon  in  such  a situation  as  gave  him  hopes  of 
succeeding  in  all  his  former  claims  and  pretensions. 
Warwick  assembled  an  army  at  Leicester,  with  an  in- 
tention of  meeting,  and  of  giving  battle,  to  the  ene- 
my ; but  Edward,  by  taking  another  road,  passed  him 
unmolested,  and  presented  himself  before  the  gates 
of  London.  His  numerous  friends  facilitated  his  ad- 
mission into  the  capital;  a-nd  his  entrance  into  Lon- 
don made  him  master  not  only  of  that  rich  and  pow- 
c rful  city,  but  also  of  the  person  of  Henry,  who,  dos 
tined  to  be  the  perpetual  sport  of  fortune,  again  fell 
into  the  hands  of  his  enemies, 
j The  king  soon  found  himself  in  a condition  to  face 
the  earl  of  Warwick,  who,  being  reinforced  by  his  son 
‘ in-law,  the  duke  of  Clarence,  and  his  brother  the  Mar- 
quis of  Montague,  took  post  at  Barnet,  in  the  vicinity 
of  London.  His  brother  Montague  seems  to  have  re- 
mained attached  to  the  interests  of  his  family,  but  his 


EDWARD  IV. 


157 


Bon-in-law,  though  bound  to  him  by  every  tie  of  hen 
our  and  gratitude,  resolved  to  fulfil  the  secret  engage- 
ments which  he  had  formerly  taken  with  his  brother, 
and  deserted  to  the  king  in  the  night  time,  carrying 
over  a body  of  twelve  thousand  men  along  with  him. 
Warwick  was  now  too  far  advanced  to  retreat  ; and  as 
he  rejected  with  disdain  all  terms  of  accommodation 
offered  him  by  Edward  and  Clarence,  he  was  obliged 
to  hazard  a general  engagement.  The  battle 
was  fought  with  obstinacy  on  both  sides  3 and 
the  victory  remained  long  undecided  between  them. 
But  an  accident  threw  the  balance  to  the  side  of  the 
Yorkists.  Warwick  engaged  that  day  on  foot,  and 
was  slain  in  the  thickest  of  the  engagement  3 his 
brother  underwent  the  same  fate  ; and  as  Edward  had 
issued  orders  not  to  give  any  quarter,  a great  and  un- 
distinguished slaughter  was  made  in  the  pursuit. 

The  same  day  on  which  this  decisive  battle  was 
fought,  queen  Margaret  and  her  son,  now  about  eigh- 
teen years  of  age,  and  a young  prince  of  great  hopes, 
'.anded  at  Weymouth,  supported  by  a small  body  of 
F rench  forces.  She  advanced  through  the  counties 
of  Devon,  Somerset,  and  Gloucester,  increasing  her 
army  on  each  day’s  march  3 but  was  at  last  overtaken 
by  the  rapid  and  expeditious  Edward  at  Tewkesbury, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Severn.  The  Lancastrians  were 
here  totally  defeated 3 and  the  army  was  entirely  dis- 
persed. 

Queen  Margaret  and  her  son  were  taken  prisoners, 
and  brought  to  the  king,  who  asked  the  prince,  after 
an  insulting  manner,  how  he  dared  to  inyade  his  do- 
minions? The  young  prince,  more  mindful  of  his  high 
birth  than  of  his  present  fortune,  replied,  that  he 
came  thither  to  claim  his  just  inheritance.  The  un- 
generous Edward,  insensible  to  pity,  struck  him  on  the 
face  with  his  gauntlet  5 and  the  dukes  of  Clarence  and 
Gloucester,  lord  Hastings,  and  sir  Thomas  Gray,  tak- 
ing the  blow  as  a signal  for  further  violence,  hurried 
the  prince  into  the  next  apartment,  and  there  des- 
patched him  with  their  daggers.  Margaret  was  thrown 
into  the  Tower  : king  Henry  died  in  that  confinement 
a few  days  after  the  battle  of  Tewkesbury  5 but  wheth* 
er  he  died  a natural  or  a violent  death  is  uncertain 
It  is  pretended,  and  w&s  generally  believed,  that  the 


158 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


duke  of  Gloucester  killed  him  with  his  own  hands  ; 
but  the  universal  odium  which  that  prince  has  incur 
red,  inclined  perhaps  the  nation  to  aggravate  his 
crimes  without  any  sufficient  authority. 

All  the  hopes  of  the  house  of  Lancaster  seemed 
now  utterly  extinguished  ; and  Edward  was  firmly  es- 
tablished on  the  throne  of  England.  This  prince  was  * 
active  and  intrepid  in  adversity,  but  unable  to  resist 
the  allurements  of  prosperity.  He  now  devoted  him- 
self to  pleasure  and  amusement  ; but  he  was  roused 
from  his  lethargy  by  the  prospect  of  foreign  conquests. 
He  formed  a league  with  the  duke  of  Burgundy  to  in- 
vade France  ; and,  for  this  purpose,  the  parliament 
voted  him  a tenth  of  rents,  or  two  shillings  in  the 
pound',  which  produced  only  31,4601.  j and  they  added 
to  this  supply  a whole  fifteenth,  and  three-quarters  of 
another  ; but  as  the  king  deemed  these  sums  still  une- 
qual to  the  undertaking,  he  attempted  to  levy  money 
by  way  of  benevolence  ; a kind  of  exaction  which,  ex- 
cept difring  the  reigns  of  Henry  the  Third  and  Rich- 
ard the  Second,  had  not  been  much  practised  in  for- 
mer times,  and  which,  though  the  consent  of  the  par- 
ties was  pretended  to  be  gained,  could  not  be  deem- 
ed entirely  voluntary. 

The  king  passed  over  to  Calais  with  an  army  of  fif- 
.,47,-1  teen  hundred  men  at  arms,  and  fifteen  thousand 
archers  5 but  all  his  hopes  of  conquest  were 
damped,  when  he  found  that  the  constable  St.  Pol, 
who  had  secretly  promised  to  join  him,  did  not  re- 
ceive him  into  the  towns  of  which  he  was  master,  nor 
the  duke  of  Burgundy  bring  him  the  smallest  assis- 
tance. This  circumstance  gave  great  disgust  to  the 
king,  and  inclined  him  to  hearken,  to  the  pacific  over- 
tures of  Lewis,  who  consented  to  pay  Edward  im- 
mediately seventy-five  thousand  crowns,  on  condition 
that  he  should  withdraw  his  army  from  France,  and 
promised  to  pay  him  fifty  thousand  crowns  a-year  du- 
ring their  joint  lives.  It  was  farther  stipulated,  that 
the  dauphin,  when  of  age,  should  marry  Edward’s  eld- 
est daughter.  The  articles  of  this  treaty  were  ratified 
in  a personal  interview  which  the  two  monarchs  had 
at  Pacquigni,  near  Amiens.  This  treaty  was  little 
honourable  to  either  of  these  monarchs  5 it  discover- 
ed the  imprudence  of  Edward,  and  the  want  of  dignity 


EDWARD  IVr. 


153 


in  Lewis,  who,  rather  than  hazard  a battle,  agreed  to 
subject  his  kingdom  to  a tribute.  The  most  honoura- 
ble part  of  it  was  the  stipulation  for  the  liberty  of 
queen  Margaret,  who,  though  after  the  death  of  her 
husband  and  son,  she  could  no  longer  be  formidable  to 
government,  was  still  detained  in  custody  by  Edward. 
Lewis  paid  fifty  thousand  crowns  for  her  ransom , and 
that  princess,  who  had  been  so  active  on  the  stage  of 
the  world,  and  who  had  experienced  such  a variety  of 
fortune,  passed  the  remainder  of  her  days  in  tranquil- 
lity and  privacy,  till  the  year  1482,  when  she  died. 

Edward  abandoned  himself  entirely  to  indolence 
and  pleasure,  which  were  now  become  his  ruling  pas- 
sions; but  an  act  of  tyranny,  of  which  he  was  guilty 
in  his  own  family,  has  met  with  general  and  deserved 
censure.  The  duke  of  Clarence,  after  all  his  services 
l'n  deserting  Warwick,  had  never  been  able  to  regain 
the  king’s  friendship.  He  was  also  an  object  of  dis- 
pleasure to  the  queen,  as  well  as  to  his  brother,  the 
duke  of  Gloucester,  a prince  of  the  deepest  policy, 
*nd  the  most  unrelenting  ambition.  A combination 
between  these  potent  adversaries  being  secretly  formed 
against  Clarence,  it  was  determined  to  begin  by  at- 
tacking his  friends,  of  whom  several  were  put  to  death 
for  the  most  trivial  offences.  Clarence,  instead  of 
securing  his  own  life  by  silence  and  reserve,  was  open 
and  loud  in  exclaiming  against  the  iniquity  of  their 
persecutors.  The  king,  highly  offended  with  his  free- 
dom, or  using  that  pretence  against  him,  committed 
him  to  the  Tower,  summoned  a parliament,  and  tried 
him  for  his  life  before  the  house  of  peers,  on  charges 
the  most  frivolous  and  futile.  A sentence  of  condem- 
nation, however,  was  a necessary  consequence  in 
those  times,  of  any  prosecution  by  the  court  or  the 
prevailing  party  j and  the  duke  of  Clarence  was  pro- 
nounced guilty  by  the  peers.  The  house  of  commons 
were  no  less  slavish  and  unjust:  they  both  petitioned 
for  the  execution  of  the  duke,  and  afterwards  passed  a 
bill  of  attainder  against  him.  The  only  favour  which 
the  king  granted  his  brother,  after  his  condemnation, 
was  to  leave  him  the  choice  of  his  death  j and  he  was 
• privately  drowned  in  a butt  of  malmsey  in  the  Tower  j 
a whimsical  choice,  which  implies  that  he  had  an  ex- 
traordinary passion  for  that  liquor. 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


160 

All  the  energies  of  Edward’s  reign  seem  to  liava 
terminated  with  the  civil  wars:  his  spirit  afterwards 
sunk  into  indolence  and  pleasure.  Whilst,  however, 
he  was  making  preparations  for  a war  against  France, 
^3  was  seized  with  a distemper  of  which  he  died  in 
the  forty-second  year  of  his  age,  and  the  twenty-third 
of  his  reign.  Besides  five  daughters,  Edward  left  two 
sons  : Edward  prince  of  Wales,  his  successor,  then  in 
his  thirteenth  year,  and  Richard  duke  of  York,  in  his 
ninth. 

The  king,  on  his  death-bed,  had  entrusted  the  regen- 
cy to  his  brother,  the  duke  of  Gloucester,  then  absent 
• joqi  the  north  ; and  he  recommended  to  the  rival 
-*  nobles  peace  and  unanimity  during  the  tender 
years  of  his  son.  But  he  had  no  sooner  expired,  than 
the  jealousies  of  the  parties  broke  out ; and  each  of 
them  endeavoured  to  obtain  the  favour  of  the  duke  of 
Gloucester. 

This  prince,  whose  unbounded  ambition  led  him  to 
carry  his  views  to  the  possession  of  the  crown  itself, 
prevailed  on  the  queen,  by  professions  of  zeal  and 
attachment,  to  countermand  the  order  which  she  hac 
issued  to  her  brother,  the  earl  of  Rivers,  to  levy 
body  of  forces,  and  to  direct  him  to  bring  up  th 
young  king  from  Ludlow  to  London,  with  only  his  or 
* dinary  retinue.  In  the  mean  time,  the  duke  of  Glouces 
ter  set  out  from  York,  attended  by  a numerous  train 
of  the  northern  gentry.  When  he  reached  Northamp 
ton,  he  was  joined  by  the  duke  of  Buckingham,  who 
was  also  attended  by  a splendid  retinue ; and  after 
being  met  by  the  earl  of  Rivers,  who  had  sent  his  pu- 
pil forward  to  Stony  Stratford,  they  all  proceeded  on 
the  road  the  next  day  to  the  king;  but  as  they  entered 
Stony  Stratford,  the  earl  of  Rivers  was  arrested  by 
orders  from  the  duke  of  Gloucester,  together  with  sir 
Richard  Gray,  one  of  the  queen’s  sons,  and  instantly 
conducted  to  Pomfret. 

On  intelligence  of  her  brother’s  imprisonment,  the 
queen  fled  into  the  sanctuary  of  Westminster,  attend- 
ed by  the  marquis  of  Dorset;  and  she  carried  thither 
the  five  princesses,  together  with  the  duke  of  York. 
But  Gloucester,  anxious  to  have  the  duke  of  York  also 
in  his  power,  employed  the  archbishops  of  Canterbury 
and  York,  who,  duped  by  the  villain’s  artifice  and  dis 


EDWARD  V. 


1 61 


simulation,  prevailed  on  the  queen  to  deliver  up  the 
prince,  that  he  might  be  present  at  the  coronation  of 
his  brother. 

The  council,  without  waiting  for  the  consent  of  par- 
liament, had  already  invested  the  duke  of  Gloucester 
with  the  high  dignity  of  protector;  and  having  so  far 
succeeded  in  his  views,  he  no  longer  hesitated  in  re- 
moving the  other  obstructions  which  lay  between  him 
and  the  throne.  The  death  of  the  earl  of  Rivers,  and 
of  the  other  prisoners  detained  in  Pomfret,  was  first 
determined;  and  he  easily  obtained  the  consent  of 
the  duke  of  Buckingham,  as  well  as  of  lord  Hastings 
to  this  violent  and  sanguinary  measure,  which  was 
promptly  executed. 

The  protector  then  assailed  the  fidelity  of  Bucking- 
ham, by  specious  arguments,  and  offers  of  great  private 
advantages,  and  obtained  from  him  a promise  of  sup- 
porting him  in  all  his  enterprises.  Knowing  the  im- 
portance of  gaining  lord  Hastings,  he  sounded. him  at 
\ distance  ; but  finding  him  impregnable  in  his  allegi- 
ance and  fidelity  to  the  children  of  Edward,  he  deter- 
mined on  his  destruction.  Having  summoned  a coun- 
cil in  the  Tower,  whither  that  nobleman,  suspecting 
no  design  against  him,  repaired  without  hesitation,  the 
Drotector  asked  them,  what  punishment  those  deserv- 
ed that  had  plotted  against  his  life,  who  was  so  nearly 
related  to  the  king,  and  was  entrusted  with  the  admin- 
istration of  government?  Hastings  replied,  that  they 
merited  the  punishment  of  traitors.  “These  traitors,” 
cried  the  protector,  u are  the  sorceress,  my  brother's 
wife,  and  Jane  Shore,  his  mistress,  with  others  their 
associates  : see  to  what  a Condition  they  have  reduced 
me.  by  their  incantations  and  witchcraft;”  upon  which 
he  laid  bare’his  arm,  all  shrivelled  and  decayed.  The 
counsellors,  who  knew  that  this  infirmity  had  attended 
him  from  his  birth,  looked  on  each  other  with  amaze- 
ment; and  above  all  lord  Hastings,  who,  as  he  had 
since  Edward’s  death  engaged  in  an  intrigue  with  Jane 
Shore,  was  naturally  anxious  concerning  the  issue  of 
these  extraordinary  proceedings. . “ Certainly,  my 

lord,”  said  he,  “if  they  be  guilty  of  these  crimes, 
they  deserve  the  severest  punishment.”  “ And  do  you 
reply  to  me,”  exclaimed  the  protector,  “ with  your  ifs 
and  your  ands'l  You  are  the  chief  abettor  of  tha« 
vol.  I.  11 


162 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


witch  Shore  j you  are  yourself  a traitor  ; and  I sweai 
by  St.  Paul,  that  I will  not  dine  before  your  head  be 
brought  me.”  He  struck  the  table  with  his  handi- 
armed  men  rushed  in  at  the  signal: — the  counsellors 
were  thrown  into  the  utmost  consternation  5 and  Has- 
tings being  seized,  was  hurried  away,  and  instantly  be- 
headed on  a timber-log,  which  lay  in  the  court  of  the 
Tower. 

After  the  murder  of  Hastings,  the  protector  no  lon- 
ger made  a secret  of  his  intentions  to  usurp  the  crown. 
A report  was  industriously  circulated,  that  Edward, 
before  espousing  the  lady  Elizabeth  Gray,  had  been 
privately  married  to  fhe  lady  Eleanor  Talbot,  and  that 
consequently  the  offspring  of  the  last  marriage  were 
illegitimate.  In  an  assembly  of  the  citizens  convoked 
for  the  purpose,  the  duke  of  Buckingham  harangued 
the  people  on  the  protector’s  title  to  the  crown  ; when/ 
after  several  useless  efforts,  some  of  the  meanest  ap- 
prentices raised  a feeble  cry  of  u God  save  King  Rich- 
ard !”  This  was  deemed  sufficient  5 and  the  crown 
was  formally  tendered  to  Richard,  who  pretended  to 
refuse  it,  but  was  at  length  prevailed  on  to  accept  the 
offer.  This  ridiculous  farce  was  soon  after  followed 
by  a scene  truly  tragical : the  murder  of  the  two  young 
princes,  who  were  smothered  by  hired  ruffians  in  the 
Tower,  and  whose  bodies  were  buried  at  the  foot  of 
the  stairs,  deep  in  the  ground,  under  a heap  of  stones.* 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Reigns  of  Richard  III.  and  Henry  Vll. 

The  first  acts  of  Richard  were  to  bestow  rewards 
on  those  who  had  assisted  him  in  usurping  the  crown 
but  the  person,  who,  from  the  greatness  of  his  services^ 
was  best  entitled  to  favours  under  the  new  govern- 


* In  the  reign  of  Charles  II.  the  bones  of  two  persons  were 
found  in  the  place  above  mentioned,  which  exactly  correspond- 
ed by  their  size  to  the  ages  of  Edward  V.  and  his  brother ; and 
being  considered  as  the  undoubted  remains  of  these  princes, 
they  were  deposited  in  Westminster  Abbey,  under  0 marble 
tomb 


RICHARD  III. 


163 


mcnt,  was  the  duke  of  Buckingham  ; and  Richard 
seemed  determined  to  spare  no  pains  or  oounty  in  se- 
curing him  to  his  interests.  That  nobleman  was  in- 
vested with  the  office  of  constable,  and  received  a 
grant  of  the  forfeited  estate  of  Bohun,  earl  of  Here- 
ford. It  was,  however,  impossible,  that  friendship 
could  long  remain  inviolate  between  two  men  of  such 
corrupt  minds  as  Richard  and  the  duke  of  Bucking- 
ham. Certain  it  is,  that  the  duke,  soon  after  Rich- 
ard’s accession,  began  to  form  a conspiracy  against 
the  government. 

By  the  exhortations  of  Morton,  bishop  of  Ely,  a 
zealous  Lancastrian,  the  duke  cast  his  eye  toward  the 
young  earl  of  Richmond,  as  the  only  person  capable 
of  opposing  an  usurper,  whose  murder  of  the  young 
princes  had  rendered  him  Jie  object  of  general  detes- 
tation. Henry  earl  of  Richmond  was  at  this  time  de- 
tained in  a kind  of  honourable  custody  by  the  duke  of 
Brittany ; and  his  descent,  which  seemed  to  give  him 
some  pretensions  to  the  crown,  had  been  for  some 
time  a great  object  of  jealousy.  He  was  descend  d 
from  John  of  Gaunt,  and  was  nearly  allied  to  Hen- 
ry VI. 

As  all  the  descendants  of  the  house  of  York  were 
now  either  women  or  minors,  it  was  suggested  by  Mor- 
ton, that  the  only  means  of  overturning  the  present 
usurpation,  was  to  unite  the  opposite  factions,  by  con- 
tracting a marriage  between  the  earl  of  Richmond  and 
the  princess  Elizabeth,  eldest  daughter  or  Edward  IV.j 
and  the  queen-dowTager,  finding  in  this  proposal  the 
probable  means  of  revenge  for  the  murder  of  her  broth- 
er and  her  three  sons,  gave  her  approbation  to  the 
project.  But  this  conspiracy  could  not  escape  the 
jealous  and  vigilant  eye  of  Richard  ; he  immediately 
levied  troops,  and  summoning  Buckingham  to  appear 
at  court,  that  nobleman  replied  only  by  taking  arms  in 
Wales.  At  that  very  time,  how;ever,  there  happened 
to  fall  such  heavy  rains,  so  incessant  and  continued, 
as  exceeded  any  known  in  the  memory  of  man  ; and 
the  Severn,  with  the  other  rivers  in  that  neighbour- 
hood, swelled  to  a height  which  rendered  them  impas- 
sable, and  prevented  Buckingham  from  marching  into 
the  heart  of  England  to  join  his  associates.  The 
Welshmen,  partly  moved  by  suQerstition  at  this  ex- 


164 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


traordinary  event,  partly  distressed  by  famine  in  their 
camp,  fell  off  from  him  ; and  Buckingham,  finding 
himself  deserted  by  his  followers,  put  on  a disguise, 
and  took  shelter  in  the  house  of  Bannister,  an  old  ser- 
vant of  his  family.  But  being  detected  in  his  retreat, 
he  was  brought  to  the  king  at  Salisbury,  and  was  in- 
stantly executed. 

The  king,  fortified  by  this  unsuccessful  attempt  to 
dethrone  him,  ventured  at  last  to  summon  a parliament 
in  which  his  right  to  the  crown  acknowl- 

edged ; and  his  only  son  Edward,  then  a youth 
of  twelve  years  of  age,  was  created  prince  of  Wales. 
To  gain  the  confidence  of  the  Yorkists,  he  paid  court 
to  the  queen^dowager,  who  ventured  to  leave  her 
sanctuary,  and  to  put  herself  arid  her  daughters  into 
the  hands  of  the  tyrant.  But  he  soon  carried  farther 
his  views  for  the  establishment  of  his  throne.  He 
had  man  Anne,  the  second  daughter  of  the  earl  of 
Warwick,  and  widow  of  Edward  prince  of  Wales, 
whom  Richard  himself  had  murdered;  but  this  prin- 
cess having  borne  him  but  one  son,  who  died  about 
this  time,  he  considered  her  as  an  invincible  obstacle 
to  the  settlement  of  his  fortune,  and  he  was  believed 
to  have  carried  her  off  by  poison;  a crime  which 
the  usual  tenor  of  his  conduct  made  it  reasonable  to 
suspect.  He  now  thought  it  in  his  power  to  remove  the 
chief  perils  which  threatened  his  government.  The 
earl  of  Richmond,  he  knew,  could  never  be  formida- 
ble but  from  his  projected  marriage  with  the  piincess 
Elizabeth,  the  true  heir  of  the  crown  ; and  he  there- 
fore intended,  by  means  of  a papal  dispensation,  to 
espouse,  himself,  this  princess,  and  thus  to  unite  in 
his  own  family  their  contending  titles.  The  queen- 
dowager,  eager  to  recover  her  lost  authority,  neither 
scrupled  this  alliance,  nor  felt  any  horror  at  marrying 
her  daughter  to  the  murderer  of  her  three  sons  and  of 
her  brother.  She  even  joined  so  far  her  interests 
with  those  of  the  usurper,  that  she  wrote  to  all  her 
partizans,  and  among  the  rest,  to  her  son  the  marquis 
of  Dorset,  desiring  them  to  withdraw  from  the  earl  of 
Richmond ; an  injury  which  the  earl  could  never  af- 
terwards forgive.  The  court  of  Rome  was  applied  to 
for  a dispensation  ; and  Richard  thought  that  he  could 
easily  defend  himself  during  the  interval  till  it  arri- 


RICHARD  III.  m 

red,  when  he  had  the  prospect  of  a full  and  secure 
‘settlement. 

But  the  crimes  of  Richard  were  so  shocking  to  hu 
mamty,  that  every  person  of  probity  and  honour  was 
earnest  to  prevent  the  sceptre  from  being  any  longer 
polluted  by  his  bloody  and  faithless  hand.  All  the  ex- 
iles flocked  to  the  earl  of  Richmond  in  Brittany,  who, 
dreading  treachery,  made  his  escape  to  the  court  of 
France.  The  ministers  of  Charles  VIII.  gave  him  as- 
sistance and  protection 3 and  he  sailed  from  Harfleur 
in  Normandy  with  a small  army  of  about  two  thou- 
sand men,  and  landed  without  opposition  at  Milford- 
haven  in  Wales. 

But  the  danger  to  which  Richard  was  chiefly  expo- 
sed, proceeded  not  so  much  from  the  zeal  of  his  open 
enemies,  as  from  the  infidelity  of  his  pretended  friends. 
Except  the  duke  of  Norfolk,  scarcely  any  nobleman 
was  attached  to  his  cause ; but  the  persons  of  whom 
he  entertained  the  greatest  suspicion,  were  lord  Stan- 
ley and  his  brother  sir  William.  When  he  employ- 
ed lord  Stanley  to  levy  forces,  he  still  retained  his 
eldest  son  lord  Strange,  as  a pledge  for  his  fidelity  j 
and  that  nobleman  was,  on  this  account,  obliged  to 
employ  great  caution  and  reserve  in  his  proceedings. 
He  raised  a powerful  body  of  his  friends  and  retainers 
in  Cheshire  and  Lancashire,  but  without  openly  declar- 
ing himself  5 and  though  Henry  had  received  secret 
assurances  of  his  friendly  intentions,  the  armies  on 
both  sides  knew  not  what  to  infer  from  his  equivocal 
behaviour. 

The  two  rivals  at  last  approached  each  other  at  Bos- 
worth,  near  Leicester  ; Henry,  at  the  head  of  six  thou- 
sand men,  Richard  with  an  army  of  above  double  that 
number.  Stanley,  who  commanded  above  seven  thou- 
sand men,  took  care  to  post  himself  at  Atherstone,not 
far  from  the  hostile  camps  3 and  he  made  such  a dis- 
position as  enabled  him  on  occasion  to  join  either 
party.  Soon  after  the  battle  began,  lord  Stanley, 
whose  conduct  in  this  whole  affair  discovers  great 
precaution  and  abilities,  appeared  in  the  field,  and  de- 
clared for  the  earl  of  Richmond.  The  intrepid  tyrant, 
sensible  of  his  desperate  situation,  cast  his  eye  around 
the  field,  and  descrying  his  rival  at  no  great  distance, 
he  drove  against  him  with  fury,  in  hopes  that  eitbei 


166 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Henry’s  death  or  his  own  would  decide  the  victor) 
between’them.  He  killed  with  his  own  hands  sir  Wil- 
liam Bradon,  standard-bearer  to  the  earl  ; he  dis- 
mounted sir  John  Cheyney  ; he  was  now  within  reacn 
of  Richmond  himself’,  who  declined  not  the  combat: 
when  sir  William  Stanley,  breaking  in  with  his  troops 
1 40,-1  surrounded  Richard,  who  fighting  bravely  to  the 
J last  moment,  was  overwhelmed ' by  numbers, 
and  perished  by  a fate  too  mild  and  honourable  for 
his  multiplied  and  detestable  enormities.  His  men 
every  where  sought  for  safety  by  flight. 

There  fell  in  this  battle  about  four  thousand  of  the 
vanquished  ; and  among  these  the  duke  of  Norfolk, 
lord  Ferrars  of  Chartley,  and  several  other  persons  of 
high  rank.  The  loss  was  inconsiderable  on  the  side 
of  the  victors.  The  body  of  Richard  was  found  in 
the  field  covered  with  dead  enemies,  and  all -besmear- 
ed with  blood ; it  was  thrown  carelessly  across  a 
horse  ; carired  to  Leicester  amidst  the  shouts  of  the 
insulting  spectators ; and  interred  in  the  Grey-Friars 
church  of  that  place.  All  historians  agree,  that  Rich- 
ard was  ready  to  commit  the  most  horrid  crimes 
which  appeared  necessary  for  his  purposes  5 and  it  is 
certain,  that  all  his  courage  and  capacity,  qualities  in 
which  he  really  seems  not  to  have  been  deficient, 
would  never  have  made  compensation  to  the  people 
for  the  danger  of  the  precedent,  and  for  the  contagious 
example  of  vice  and  murder,  exalted  upon  the  throne. 
This  prince  was  of  a small  stature,  hump-backed,  and 
had  a harsh,  disagreeable  countenance;  so  that  his 
bodv  was  in  every  particular  no  less  deformed  than 
his  mind. 

The  victory  at  Bosworth  was  entirely  decisive  ; and 
the  earl  of  Richmond  was  immediately  saluted  with 
acclamations  of  “Long  live  Henry  the  Seventh!7’ 
He  accepted  the  title  without  hesitation  ; and  assert- 
ing his  claim  to  the  throne  as  heir  to  the  house  of 
Lancaster,  he  determined  never  to  allow  it  to  be  dis- 
cussed. Though  bound  by  honour,  as  well  as  by  in- 
terest, to  complete  his  alliance  with  the  princess  Eliz- 
abeth, yet  he  resolved  to  postpone  the  nuptials  til* 
after  the  ceremony  of  his  coronation,  lest  a preceding 
marriage  with  the  princess  should  imply  a participa- 
tion of  sovereignty  in  her,  and  raise  doubts  of  his  own 


HExiRY  VII. 


161 


title  by  the  house  of  Lancaster.  In  order  to  height 
en  the  splendour  of  the  coronation,  he  bestowed  the 
rank  of  knight-banneret  on  twelve  persons  ; and  he 
conferred  peerages  on  three.  Jasper,  earl  of  Pem 
broke,  his  uncle,  was  created  duke  of  Bedford  ; Thom- 
as lord  Stanley,  his  father-in-law,  earl  of  Derby  j and 
Edward  Courtney,  earl  of  Devonshire.  At  the  coro- 
nation, likewise,  there  appeared  a new  institution, 
which  the  king  had  established  for  security  as  well 
as  pomp,  a band  of  fifty  archers,  who  were  termed 
yeomen  of  the  guard.  But  lest  the  people  should  take 
umbrage  at  this  unusual  symptom  of  jealousy  in  the 
prince,  as  if  it  implied  a personal  diffidence  of  his 
subjects,  he  declared  the  institution  to^)e  perpetual. 
The  parliament  assembled  at  Westminster,  and  pro 
ceeded  to  settle  the  entail  of  the  crown.  No  men 
tion  was  made  of  the  princess  Elizabeth  : it  was  vo- 
ted, “ that  the  inheritance  of  the  crown  should  rest, 
remain,  and  abide,  in  the  kjng,  and  “ that  the  succes- 
sion should  be  secured  to  the  heirs  of  his  body  but 
Henry  pretended  not,  in  case  of  their  failure,  to  ex- 
clude the  house  of  York,  or  give  the  preference  to 
that  of  I .ancaster. 

The  parliament  had  petitioned  to  the  king  to  espouse 
the  princess  Elizabeth,  under  the  pretence  of  their 
desire  to  have  heirs  of  his  body  j and  he  now'  thought 
in  earnest  of  satisfying  the  minds  of  his  people  in 
that  particular.  His  marriage  was  celebrated  at  Lon- 
don, and  that  with  greater  appearance  of  universal 
joy  than  either  his  first  entry  or  his  coronation.  Hen- 
ry remarked  with  much  displeasure  this  general  favour 
borne  to  the  house  of  York.  The  suspicions  which 
arose  from  it  not  only  disturbed  his  tranquillity  dur- 
ing his  whole  reign  but  bred  disgust  towards  his  con- 
sort herself,  and  poisoned  all  his  domestic  enjoyments. 
Though  virtuous,  amiable,  and  obsequious  to  the  last 
degree,  she  never  met  with  a proper  return  of  affec- 
tion, or  even  of  complaisance,  from  her  husband  j and 
the  malignant  ideas  of  faction  still,  in  his  sullen  mind 
Drevailed  over  all  the  sentiments  of  conjugal  endear- 
ment. 

The  king  now  resolved  to  make  a progress  into  the 
north,  where  the  friends  of  the  house  of  York,  and 
even  the  partisans  of  Richard,  were  numerous,  ir* 


168 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


nopes  of  curing  by  his  presence  and  conversation  the 
prejudices  of  the  malcontents.  When  he  arrived  at 
Nottingham,  he  heard  that  viscount  Lovel,  with  sir 
Hu  mpihrey  Stafford,  and  Thomas,  his  brother,  had  se- 
cretly withdrawn  themselves  from  their  sanctuary  at 
Colchester;  but  this  news  appeared  not  to  him  of 
such  importance  as  to  stop  his  journey  ; and  he  pro* 
ceeded  forward  to  York.  He  there  "heard  that  the 
Staffords  had  levied  an  army,  and  were  marching  to 
besiege  the  city  of  .Worcester ; and  that  Lovel,  at  the 
head  of  three  or  four  thousand  men,  was  approaching 
to  attack  him  in  York.  Henry  was  not  dismayed*with 
this  intelligence.  His  active  courage,  full  of  resour- 
ces, immediately  prompted  him  to  find  the  proper 
remedy.  rI*hough  surrounded  with  enemies  in  these 
disaffected  counties,  he  assembled  a small  body  of 
troops  in  whom  he  could  confide;  and  having  joined 
to  them  all  his  own  attendants,  he  put  them  under  the 
command  of  the  duke  of  Bedford,  who  published  a 
general  promise  of  pardon  to  the  rebels.  This  had  a 
greater  effect  on  their  leader  than  on  his  followers. 
Lovel,  who  had  undertaken  an  enterprise  that  exceed- 
ed his  courage  and  capacity,  was  so  terrified  with  the 
fear  of  desertion  among  his  troops,  that  he  suddenly 
withdrew  himself,  and  after  lurking  some  time  ir 
Lancashire,  he  made  his  escape  into  Flanders,  where 
he  was  protected  by  the  duchess  of  Burgundy.  His 
army  submitted  to  the  king’s  clemency  ; and  the  other 
rebels,  hearing  of  this  success,  raised  the  siege  of 
Worcester,  and  dispersed  themselves.  The  Stafford! 
took  sanctuary  in  the  church  of  Coinham,  neat  Abing 
don  ; but  being  taken  thence,  the  elder  was  executes 
at  Tyburn,  and  the  younger  obtained  a pardon. 

Henry’s  joy  for  this  success  was  followed,  some  time 
after,  by  the  birth  of  a prince,  to  whom  he  gave  the 
name  of  Arthur,  in  memory  of  the  famous  British  king 
of  that  name,  from  whom  it  was  pretended  the  family 
of  Tudor  derived  its  descent.  But  his  government 
had  become  in  general  unpopular;  and  the  source  of 
public  discontent  arose  chiefly  from  his  prejudice? 
against  the  house  of  York. 

There  lived  in  Oxford  one  Richard  Simon,  a priest 
of  a subtle  and  enterprising  genius.  This  man  had 
entertained  the  design  of  disturbing  Henry’s  govern 


HENRY  VII. 


m 


ment>  by  raising  a pretender  to  his  trowr. ; and 
-*  for  that  purpose  he  cast  his  eyes  on  Lambert 
Simnel,  a youth  of  fifteen  years  of  age,  the  son  of  a 
Daker,  who  was  endowed  with  understanding  above  his 
^ears,lind  address  above  his  condition.  Him,  Simon 
instructed  to  personate  the  earl  of  Warwick,  son  of 
the  duke  of  Clarence,  who  had  been  confined  in  the 
Tower  since  the  commencement  of  this  reign  ; and 
the  queen-dowager,  finding  herself  fallen  into  abso- 
lute insignificance,  and  her  daughter  treated  with  se- 
verity, was  suspected  of  countenancing  the  imposture. 
" In  Ireland  the  scene  of  it  first  was  opened.  No 
sooner  did  Simnel  present  himself  to  Kildare,  the 
deputy,  and  claim  his  protection  as  the  unfortunate 
Warwick,  than  that  credulous  nobleman  acknowledg- 
ed him;  the  people  of  Dublin  tendered  their  allegi- 
ance to  him,  as  to  the  true  Plantagenet ; and  the  whole 
island  followed  the  example  of  the  capital. 

Henry,  perplexed  by  the  news  of  this  revolt,  first 
seized  the  queen-dowager,  whom  he  confined  in  the 
nunnery  of  Bermondsey,  where  she  ended  her  life  in 
poverty  and  solitude.  He  next  exposed  Warwick 
through  the  streets  of  London  ; but  though  this  meas- 
ure had  its  effect  in  England,  the  people  of  Ireland 
retorted  on  the  king  the  reproach  of  having  shown  a 
counterfeit  personage. 

Henry  had  soon  reason  to  apprehend  that  the  design 
against  him  was  not  laid  on  slight  foundations.  John 
earl  of  Lincoln,  son  of  the  duke  of  Suffolk,  and  of 
Elizabeth,  eldest  sister  of  Edward  IV.,  was  engaged 
to  take  part  in  the  conspiracy  ; and  having  established 
1 secret  correspondence  in  Lancashire,  he  retired  to 
Flanders,  where  Lovel  had  arrived  a little  before  him  , 
and  he  lived  in  the  court  of  his  aunt  the  duchess  of 
Burgundy. 

That  princess,  the  widow  of  Charles  the  Bold,  after 
consulting  with  Lincoln  and  Lovel,  hired  a body  of 
two  thousand  veteran  Gomans,  under  the  command 
of  Martin  Swart,  a brave  and  experienced  officer;  and 
sent  them  over,  together  with  these  two  noblemen,  to 
join  Simnel  in  Ireland.  The  countenance  given  by 
persons  of  such  high  rank,  and  the  accession  of  this 
military  force,  much  raised  the  courage  of  the  Irish, 
and  made  them  entertain  the  resolution  of  invading 


170  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

England;  as  well  From,  the  hopes  of  plunder  as  of  ie- 
venge. 

Being  informed  that  Simnel  was  landed  at  Foudre)/ 
in  Lancashire,  Henry  drew  together  his  forces,  and 
advanced  towards  the  enemy  as  far  as  Coventry.  The 
rebels  had  entertained  hopes  that  the  disaffected  boun- 
ties in  the  north  would  rise  in  their  favour;  but  the 
people  in  general,  averse  to  join  Irish  and  German  in- 
vaders, convinced  of  Lambert's  imposture,  and  kept 
in  awe,  by  the  king's  reputation  for  success  and  con- 
duct, either  remained  in  tranquillity,  or  gave  assist 
ance  to  the  royal  army.  The  hostile  armies  met  at 
Stoke  in  the  county  of  Nottingham,  and  fought  a bat 
tie  which  was  bloody  and  obstinately  disputed.  The 
king's  victory  was  purchased  with  loss,  but  was  en- 
tirely decisive.  Lincoln,  Broughton,  and  Swart,  per- 
ished in  the  field  of  battle,  with  four  thousand  of 
148H1  ^eir  followers ; and  as  Lovel  was  never  more 
-*  heard  of,  he  was  believed  to  have  undergone 
the  same  fate.*  Simnel,  with  his  tutor  Simon,  was 
taken  prisoner.  Simon,  being  a priest,  was  only  com- 
mitted to  close  custody;  and  Simnel  being  too  con- 
temptible to  be  an  object  either  of  apprehension  or 
resentment,  was  pardoned,  and  made  a scullion  in  the 
king’s  kitchen  ; whence  he  was  afterwards  advanced 
to  the  rank  of  a falconer. 

The  duchess  of  Burgundy,  full  of  resentment  for 
the  depression  of  her  family,  and  rather  irritated  than 
discouraged  by  the  ill-success  of  her  past  enterprise, 
propagated  a report  that  her  nephew,  Richard  Planta- 

* Doctor  Mavor,  in  his  History  of  Enola  ni>,  gives  the 
following  probable  account  of  the  death  of  this  distinguished 
nobleman,  on  the  authority  of  the  late  Mr.  Thomas  Warton, 
who  received  his  information,  as  well  as  could  be  recollected, 
from  Dr.  Dennison,  a witness  of  what  is  related  ; — “ The 
Walls  of  this  nobleman’s  once  magnificent  seat  at  Minster 
Lovel,  Oxfordshire,  of  which  some  ruins  still  remain,  being 
pulled  down  for  the  sake  of  the  materials,  early  in  the  last 
century,  a secret  chamber  was  discovered  with  a trap-door, 
and  in  it  a skeleton  of  a person  in  complete  armour  was  found 
From  hence  it  was  supposed,  and  on  probable  grounds,  that 
this  was  the  body  of  lord  Lovel,  who,  after  escaping  from  the 
battle  of  Stoke,  took  refuge  in  this  place,  and  from  some  cause, 
not  now  to  be  accounted  for,  was  left  to  perish  in  his  concoal- 


HENRY  VII.  (71 

genet,  duke  of  York,  had  escaped  from  the  Tower,  and 
was  still  r.live;  and  finding  this  rumour  greedily  re- 
ceived by  the  people,  she  sought  for  some  young  man 
proper  to  personate  that  unfortunate  prince. 

Warbeck,  a renegado  Jew  of  Tournay,  who  had 
visited  London  in  the  reign  of  Edward  IV.,  had  there 
a son  born  to  him.  Having  had  opportunities  of  be- 
ing known  to  the  king,  and  obtaining  his  favour,  he 
prevailed  with  that  prince,  whose  manners  were  very 
affable,  to  stand  god-fatrtfcr  to  his  son,  to  whom  he 
gave  the  name  of  Peter,  corrupted,  after  the  Flemish 
manner,  into  Peterkin,  or  Perkin.  It  was  by  some  be- 
lieved that  Edward,  among  his  amorous  adventures, 
had  a secret  commerce  with  Warbeck's  wife 3 and 
people  thence  accounted  for  that  resemblance  which 
was  afterwards  remarked  between  young  Perkin  and 
that  monarch.  Some  years  after  the  birth  of  this 
child,  Warbeck  returned  to  Tournay,  whence  Perkin 
his  son,  by  different  accidents,  was  carried  from  place 
to  place,  and  his  birth  and  fortunes  became  thereby 
unknown,  and  difficult  to  be  traced.  The  variety  of 
his  adventures  had  happily  favoured  the  natural  versa- 
tility and  sagacity  of  his  genius  3 and  he  seemed  to  be 
a youth  perfectly  fitted  to  act  any  part,  or  assume  any 
character.  In  this  light  he  had  been  represented  to 
the  duchess  of  Burgundy,  who  found  him  to  exceed 
her  most  sanguine  expectations;  so  comely  did  he 
appear  in  his  person,  so  graceful  in  his  air,  so  court- 
ly in  his  address,  so  full  of  docility  and  good  sense  in 
his  behaviour  and  conversation.  The  lessons  ne- 
cessary to  be  taught  him,  in  order  to  his  personating 
the  duke  of  York,  were  soon  learned  by  a youth  of 
such  quick  apprehension  3 and  Margaret,  in  order  the 
better  to  conceal  him,  sent  him,  under  the  care 
of  lady  Brampton,  into  Portugal,  where  he  remained 
a year,  unknown  to  all  the  world. 

The  war,  which  was  then  ready  to  break  out  be- 
tween France  and  England,  seemed  to  afford  a proper 
opportunity  for  this  impostor  to  try  his  success  3 and 
Ireland,  which  still  retained  its  attachment  to  the 
house  of  York,  was  chosen  as  the  proper  place  for 
his  first  appearance.  He  landed  at  Cork  : and  imme- 
diately assuming  the  name  of  Richard  Plantagenet 
d»-ew  tc  him  partisans  among  that  credulous  people 


172  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

The  news  soon  reached  France  ; and  Charles,  prompt 
ed  by  the  secret  solicitations  of  the  duchess  of  Bur 
gundy,  sent  Perkin  an  invitation  to  repair  to  him  at 
Paris.  He  received  him  with  all  the  marks  of  regard 
due  to  the  duke  of  York.  The  French  courtiers  readi- 
ly embraced  a fiction  which  their  sovereign  thought  it 
his  interest  to  adopt  5 and  Perkin,  both  by  his  deport- 
ment and  personal  qualities,  supported  the  prepos- 
session which  was  spread  abroad  of  his  royal  pedigree. 
From  France  the  admiratftn  and  credulity  diffused 
themselves  into  England:  sir  George  Nevil,  sir  John 
Taylor,  and  above  a hundred  gentlemen  more,  came 
to  Paris,  in  order  to  offer  their  services  to  the  suppos- 
ed duke  of  York,  and  to  share  his  fortunes  ; and  the 
impostor  had  now  the  appearance  of  a court  attending 
him,  and  began  to  entertain  hopes  of  final  success. 

When  peace  was  concluded  between  France  and 
England,  Charles  consented  to  dismiss  Perkin,  who 
retired  to  the  duchess  of  Burgundy.  That  princess 
put  on  the  appearance  of  distrust;  and  it  was  not  till 
after  a long  and  severe  scrutiny,  that  she  pretended  to 
hurst  out  into  joy  and  admiration,  and  embraced  Per- 
kin as  the  true  image  of  Edward,  and  the  sole  heir  of 
14931  ^an!agenets*  Not  the  populace  alone  of 
' England  gave  credit  to  Perkin's  pretensions  ; 
men  of  the  highest  birth  and  quality  turned  their  eyes 
towards  the  new  claimant;  and  sir  Robert  Clifford  and 
William  Barley  made  him  a tender  of  their  services. 

The  king,  informed  of  these  particulars,  proceeded 
deliberately,  though  steadily,  in  counter-working  the 
projects  of  his  enemies.  His  first  object  was  to  ascer- 
tain the  death  of  the  real  duke  of  York,  and  to  con- 
firm the  opinion  that  had  always  prevailed  with  regard 
to  that  catastrophe  ; but  as  only  two  of  the  persons 
employed  by  Richard,  in  the  murder  of  his  nephews, 
were  now  alive,  and  as  the  bodies  were  supposed  to 
have  been  removed  by  Richard's  orders,  from  the 
place  where  they  were  first  interred,  and  could  not 
now  be  found,  it  was  not’  in  Henry's  power  to  estab- 
lish the  fact  beyond  all  doubt  and  controversy.  He 
was,  however,  more  successful  in  detecting  who  this 
wonderful  person  was,  who  thus  advanced  pretensions 
to  his  crown.  He  engaged  Clifford,  by  the  hope  of 
rewards  and  pardon,  to  betray  the  secrets  entrusted  to 


HENRY  VII. 


173 


him;  and  such  was  the  diligence  of  his  spies,  that  in 
the  issue  the  whole  plan  of  the  conspiracy  was  clearly 
laid  before  h;m,  with  the  pedigree,  adventures,  life, 
and  conversation,  of  the  pretended  duke  of  York;  and 
this  latter  part  of  the  story  was  immediately  published 
for  the  satisfaction  of  the  nation. 

Several  of  the  conspirators  were  immediately  arrest- 
ed.  Some  of  inferior  rank  were  rapidly  arraigned, 
convicted,  and  condemned  for  high  treason  ; but  more 
solemnity  was  deemed  necessary  in  the  trial  of  sir 
William  Stanley,  one  of  the  most  opulent  subjects  in 
the  kingdom.  After  six  weeks  delay,  which  was  in- 
terposed to  show  that  the  king  was  restrained  by 
doubts  and  scruples,  the  prisoner  was  brought  to  his 
trial,  condemned,  and  presently  after  beheaded.  His- 
torians, however,  are  not  agreed  as  to  the  precise  na- 
ture of  the  crime  for  which  he  suffered. 

The  fate  of  Stanley  struck  the  adherents  of  Perkin 
with  the  greatest  dismay  ; and  as  the  imposter  found 
that  his  pretensions  were  becoming  obsolete,  he  re- 
solved to  attempt  something  which  might  revive  the 
hopes  and  expectations  of  his  partisans.  Having  col- 
lected a band  of  outlaws,  pirates,  robbers,  and  neces- 
sitous persons  of  all  nations,  to  the  number  of  six  hun- 
dred men,  he  put  to  sea,  with  a resolution  of  making 
a descent  in  England.  Information  being  brought  him 
that  the  king  had  made  a progress  to  the  north,  he  cast 
anchor  on  the  coast  of  Kent,  and  sent  some  of  his  re- 
tainers ashore,  who  invited  the  country  to  join  him. 
The  gentlemen  of  Kent  assembled  some  troops  to  op- 
pose him  ; but  they  purposed  to  do  more  essential  ser- 
vice than  by  repelling  the  invasion  : they  carried  the 
semblance  of  friendship  to  Perkin,  and  invited  him  to 
come  himself  ashore,  in  order  to  take  the  command 
over  them.  But  the  wary  youth,  observing  that  they 
had  more  order  and  regularity  in  their  movements 
than  could  be  supposed  in  new-levied  forces  who  had 
taken  arms  against  the  established  authority,  refused 
to  entrust  himself  into  their  hands , and  the  Kentish 
troops,  despairing  of  success  in  their  stratagem,  fell 
upon  such  of  his  retainers  as  were  already  landed  j 
and  killing  some,  they  took  a hundred  and  fifty  prison- 
ers, who  were  tried  and  condemned,  and  executed  by 
orders  from  the  king. 


174  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

This  year  a parliamentTwas  summoned  in  England, 

1 4,Q <51  and  another  in  Ireland;  and  some  remarkable 
J laws  were  passed  in  both  countries.  The  Eng- 
lish parliament  passed  an  act,  empowering  the  king  to 
levy,  by  course  of  law,  all  the  sums  which  any  per 
son  had  agreed  to  pay  by  way  of  benevolence  ; a stat 
ute  by  which  that  arbitrary  method  of  taxation  was  in- 
directly authorized  and  justified. 

The  king’s  authority  appeared  equally  prevalent  and 
uncontrolled  in  Ireland.  Sir  Edward  Poynings,  who 
had  been  sent  over  to  that  country,  with  an  intention 
of  quelling  the  partisans  of  the  house  of  York,  and  of 
reducing  the  natives  to  subjection,  summoned  a parlia- 
ment at  Dublin,  and  obtained  the  passing  of  that 
memorable  statute,  which  still  bears  his  name,  and 
which,  during  three  centuries,  established  the  para- 
mount authority  of  the  English  government  in  Ireland. 
By  this  statute  all  the  former  lav  s of  England  were 
made  to  be  in  force  in  Ireland;  and  no  bill  could  be 
introduced  into  the  Irish  parliament,  unless  it  had  pre- 
viously received  the  sanction  of  the  council  of  Eng- 
land.* 

After  being  repulsed  from  the  coast  of  Kent,  Perkin  . 
retired  to  Ireland  ; but  tired  of  the  wandering  life  he 
was  compelled  to  lead  in  that  country,  he  passed  over 
into  Scotland,  where  he  was  favourably  received  by 
James  IV.  who  gave  him  in  marriage  the  lady  Catha- 
rine Gordon,  daughter  of  the  earl  of  Huntley.  The 
jealousy  which  subsisted  between  England  and  Scot- 
land, induced  James  to  espouse  the  cause  of  the  im- 
poster, and  to  make  an  inroad  into  England;  but  Per- 
kin's pretensions  were  now  become  stale  even  in  the 
eyes  of  the  populace  ; and  James  perceiving  that, 
while  Perkin  remained  in  Scotland,  he  should  never 
enjoy  a solid  peace  with  Henry,  privately  desired  him 
to  depart. 

After  quitting  Scotland,  Perkin  concealed  himself 
in  the  wilds  and  fastnesses  of  Ireland.  Impatient, 
however,  of  a retreat  which  was  both  disagreeable  and 
dangerous,  he  held  consultations  with  his  followers, 

* By  the  act  of  union  between  Great  Britain  and  Irelandf 
these  regulations,  which  had  long  been  the  object  rf  jealousy 
and  contention,  were  happily  rendered  obsolete. 


HENRY  VII. 


I7a 


Heme,  Skelton,  and  Astley,  three  broken  tiaaesmen  ; 
and  by  their  advice  he  resolved  to  try  the  affections  of 
the  Cornish,  whose  mutinous  disposition  had  been 
lately  manifested,  in  resisting  the  levy  of  a tax  im- 
posed for  the  purpose  of  repelling  the  inroads  of  the 
Scots.  No  sooner  did  he  appear  at  Bodmin,  in  Corn- 
wall, than  the  populace,  to  the  number  of  three  thou- 
sand, flocked  to  his  standard  5 and  Perkin,  elated  with 
this  appearance  of  success,  took  on  him,  for  the  first 
time,  the  appellation  of  Richard  the  Fourth,  king  of 
England.  Not  to  suffer  the  expectations  of  his  follow- 
ers to  languish,  he  presented  himself  before  Exeter; 
and  finding  that  the  inhabitants  shut  their  gates  against 
him,  he  laid  siege  to  the  place;  but  being  unprovided 
with  artillery,  ammunition,  and  every  thing  requisite 
for  the  attempt,  he  made  no  progress  in  his  undertak- 
ing. 

When  Henry  was  informed  that  Perkin  had  landed 
in  England,  he  expressed  great  joy  at  his  being  so 
near,  and  prepared  himself  with  alacrity  to  attack  him. 
The  lords  Daubeny  and  Broke,  with  sir  Rice  ap 
Thomas,  hastened  forward  with  a small  body  of  troops 
to  the  relief  of  Exeter,  and  the  king  himself  prepared 
to  follow  with  a considerable  army. 

Perkin,  informed  of  these  great  preparations,  imme- 
diately raised  the  siege  of  Exeter,  and  retired  to  Taun- 
ton. Though  his  followers  seemed  still  resolute  to 
maintain  his  cause,  he  himself  despaired  of  success, 
and  secretly  -withdrew  to  the  sanctuary  of  Beaulieu  in 
the  new  forest.  The  Cornish  rebels  submitted  to  the 
king’s  mercy.  Except  a few  persons  of  desperate  for- 
tunes who  were  executed,  and  some  others  who  were 
severely  fined,  all  the  rest  were  dismissed  with  im- 
punity. Lady  Catharine  Gordon,  wife  to  Perkin,  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  victor,  and  was  treated  with  a 
generosity  which  does  him  honour.  He  soothed  her 
mind  with  many  marks  of  regard,  placed  her  in  a repu- 
table station  about  the  queen,  and  assigned  her  a pen- 
sion, which  she  enjoyed  even  under  his  successor. 

Perkin  being  persuaded,  under  promise  of  pardon,  tG 
uqql  deliver  himself  into  the  king’s  hands,  was  con- 
ducted,  in  a species  of  mock  triumph,  to  Lon- 
don. His  confession  of  his  life  and  adventures  was 
published;  but  though  his  life  was  granted  him  he 


176 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


i 

l 

' 


was  still  detained  in  custody.  Impatient  of  confine 
ment,  he  broke  from  his  keepers,  and  fled  to  the  sanc- 
tuary of  Shyne.  He  was  then  imprisoned  in  the  Tow- 
er, where  his  habits  of  restless  intrigue  and  enterprise 
followed  him.  He  insinuated  himself  into  the  intima- 
cy of  four  servants  of  sir  JoTin  Digby,  lieutenant  of  the 
Tower  3 and,  by  their  means,  opened  a correspon- 
dence with  the  earl  of  Warwick,  who  was  confined  in 
the  same  prison.  This  unfortunate  prince,  who  had, 
from  his  earliest  youth,  been  shut  up  from  the  com- 
merce of  men,  and  who  was  ignorant  even  of  the  most 
common  affairs  of  life,  had  fallen  into  a fatuity,  which 
made  him  susceptible  of  any  impression.  The  con- 
tinued dread  also  of  the  more  violent  effeots  of  Hen- 
ry’s tyranny,  joined  to  the  natural  love  of  liberty,  en- 
gagerd  him  to  embrace  a project  for  his  escape,  by  the 
murder  of  the  lieutenant  3 and  Perkin  offered  to  con- 
duct the  whole  enterprise.  The  conspiracy  escaped 
not  the  king’s  vigilance.  Perkin,  by  this  new  attempt, 
had  rendered  himself  totally  unworthy  of  mercy:  and 
he  was  accordingly  arraigned,  condemned,  and  soon 
after  hanged  at  Tyburn,  acknowledging  his  imposture 
to  the  last. 

It  happened  about  that  very  time,  that  one  Wilford, 
a cordwainer’s  son, encouraged  by  the  surprising  credit 
given  to  other  impostures,  had  undertaken  to  person 
ate  the  earl  of  Warwick  j and  a priest  had  even  ven- 
tured from  the  pulpit  to  Recommend  his  cause  to  the 
people.  This  incident  served  Henry  as  a pretence  for 
his  severity  towards  that  prince.  He  was  brought  to 
trial,  and  accused  of  forming  designs  to  disturb  the 
government,  and  raise  an  insurrection  among  the  peo- 
ple. Warwick  confessed  the  indictment,  was  con- 
demned, and  the  sentence  was  executed  upon  him. 
This  act  of  tyranny,  the  capital  blemish  of  Henry ’3 
reign,  occasioned  great  discontent  3 and  though  he  en- 
deavoured to  alleviate  the  odium  of  this  guilt,  by 
sharing  it  with  his  ally,  Ferdinand  of  Arragon,  who, 
he  said,  had  scrupled  to  give  his  daughter  Catherine 
in  marriage  to  Arthur,  while  any  male  descendant  of 
the  house  of  York  remained  3 this  only  increased  the 
indignation  of  the  people,  at  seeing  a young  prince 
sacrificed  to  the  jealous  politics  of  two  subtle  tyrants. 

There  was  a remarkable  similarity  of  character  be- 


i 

l 

' 


HENRY  VII. 


17 

tween  these  two  monarchs  : both  were  full  of  craft, 
intrigue,  and  design  ; and  though  a resemblance  of 
this  nature  be  a slender  foundation  for  confidence  and 
amity,  such  was  the  situation  of  Henry  and  Ferdinand, 
that  no  jealousy  ever  arose  between  them.  The  king 
completed  a marriage,  which  had  been  projected  and 
negotiated  during  the  course  of  seven  years,  between 
Arthur  prince  of  Wales,  and  the  infanta  Catherine, 
fourth  daughter  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella;  but  this 
marriage  proved  in  the  issue  unprosperous.  The  young 
prince  a few  months  after  sickened  and  died,  much 
regretted  by  the  nation.  Henry,  desirous  to  continue 
his  alliance  with  Spain,  and  also  unwilling  to  restore 
Catherine’s  dowry,  which  was  two  hundred  thousand 
ducats,  obliged  his  second  son  Henry,  whom  he  cre- 
ated prince  of  Wales,  to  be  contracted  to  the  infanta, 
by  virtue  of  a dispensation  from  the  pope.  This  mar- 
riage was,  in  the  event,  attended  with  the  most  im- 
portant consequences.  In  the  same  year,  another 
marriage  was  celebrated,  which  was  also  in  the  next 
age  productive  of  great  events;  the  marriage  of  Mar- 
garet, the  king’s  eldest  daughter,  with  James  kingtrf 
Scotland.  Amidst  these  prosperous  incidents  the 
queen  died  in  child-bed  ; and  the  infant  did  not  long 
survive  her.  This  princess  was  deservedly  a favour- 
ite of  the  nation  ; and  the  general  affection  for  her 
was  augmented  by  the  harsh  treatment  which  it  was 
thought  she  experienced  from  her  consort. 

Uncontrolled  by  apprehension  or  opposition  of  any 
15031  kind,  Henry  novv  gave  full  scope  to  his  natural 
■*  propensity;  and  his  avarice,  which  had  ever 
beeq  the  ruling  passion  of  his  mind,  brchc  through,  a. 
restraints.  He  had  found  Ofro  jwfisifl&ra,  Eunps-or. 
Dudley,  perfectly  qualified  to  fit  rnpK 

and  tyrannical  inclinations.  c' 

oppression. were  both  lawyer*.  P~  kaon 

in  law  these  men  were  qualified  t«  the  'fi 

of  justice  to  the  oppression  of  the  innocent;  & r.ic 
formidable  authority  of  the  king  supported  them  in  sil 
their  iniquities.  In  vain  did  the  people  look  for  pro- 
tection from  the  parliament;  that  assembly  was 
overawed,  that  during  the  greatest  rage  of  Henry*: 
oppressions,  the  commons  chose  Dudley  their  speak 
er,  and  granted  hiin  the  subsidies  which  he  demand 

VOL.  1.  12 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


m 


! 


,v 


ed.  By  the  arts  of  accumulation,  this  monarch  so 
filled  his  coffers,  that  he  is  said  to  have  possessed 
at  one  time  the  sum  of  one  million  eight  hundred 
thousand  pounds;  a treasure  almost  incredible,  if  we 
consider  the  scarcity  of  money  in  those  times. 

The  decline  of  his  health  induced  the  king  to  turn 
his  thoughts  towards  that  future  existence,  which  the 
iniquities  and  severities  of  his  reign  rendered  a very 
dismal  prospect  to  him.  To  allay  the  terrors  under 
which  he  laboured,  he  endeavoured,  by  distributing 
alms,  and  founding  religious  houses,  to  make  atone- 
ment for  his  crimes,  and  to  purchase,  by  the  sacrifice 
of  part  of  his  ill-gotten  treasures,  a reconciliation 
with  his  offended  Maker.  Remorse  even  seized  him, 
at  intervals,  for  the  abuse  of  his  authority  by  Empson 
and  Dudley  ; but  not  sufficiently  to  make  him  stop  the 
rapacious  hand  of  those  oppressors.  However,  death, 
by  its  nearer  approaches,  impressed  new  terrors  upon 
him;  and  he  then  ordered,  by  a general  clause  in  his 
will,  that  restitution  should  be  made  to  rfll  those  whom 
15091  inJured-  He  died  of  a consumption,  at 

* his  favourite  palace  of  Richmond,  after  a reign 
of  twenty-three  years  and  eight  months,  and  in  the 
fifty-second  year  of  his  age. 

The  reign  of  Henry  the  Seventh  was,  on  the  whole 
fortunate  for  his  people  at  home,  and  honourable 
abroad.  He  loved  peace  without  fearing  war;  and 
this  acquired  him  the  regard  and  consideration  of  for- 
eign princes.  His  capacity  was  excellent,  though 
somewhat  contracted  by  the  narrowness  of  his  heart. 
Avarice  was  his  ruling  passion  ; and  to  gratify  it,  he 
sacrificed  every  honourable  principle. 

This  prince,  though  he  exalted  his  prerogative 
above  law,  is  celebrated  for  many  good  laws  which  he 
established  for  the  government  of  his  subjects;  but 
the  most  important  law  in  its  consequences  which  was 
enacted  during  the  reign  of  Henry,  was  that  by  which 
the  nobility  and  gentry  acquired  a power  of  breaking 
the  ancient  entails,  and  of  alienating  their  estates. 
By  means  of  this  law,  joined  to  the  beginning  luxury 
and  refinement  of  the  age,  the  great  fortunes  of  the 
barons  were  gradually  diss'oated,  and  the  property  of 
the  commons  increased  in  England.  It  is  probable 
that  Henry  foresaw  and  intended  this  consequence ; 


fp 


HENRY  VII.  17S 

because  the  constant  scheme  of  his  policy  consisted 
in  depressing  the  great,  and  exalting  churchmen,  law- 
yers, and  men  of  ne*w  families,  who  would  be  more 
obsequious. 

It  was  during  this  reign,  that  Christopher  Columbus 
discovered  America;  and  Vasquez  de  Gama  passed 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  opened  a new  passage 
to  the  East  Indies.  It  was  by  accident  only  that  Hen- 
ry had  not  a considerable  share  in  those  great  naval 
discoveries.  However,  he  fitted  out  Sebastian  Cabot, 
a Venetian,  settled  in  Bristol;  and  sent  him  west- 
ward, in  1493,  in  search  of  new  countries.  Cabot  dis- 
covered the  main  land  of  America,  towards  the  six- 
tieth degree  of  northern  latitude,  Newfoundland,  and 
many  other  countries;  but  returned  to  England  with- 
out making  any  conquest  or  settlement.  Eliiot,  arid 
other  merchants  in  Bristol,  made  a like  attempt  in 
1502.  The  king  expended  fourteen  thousand  pound* 
in  building  one  ship,  called  the  “ Great  Harry  which 
was,  properly  speaking,  the  first  ship  in  the  English 
navy.  In  1453,  Constantinople  was  taken  by  the  Turks  ; 
and  the  Greeks,  among  whom  some  remains  of  learn 
ing  were  still  preserved,  being  scattered  by  these  bar 
barians,  took  shelter  in  Italy,  and  imported,  togethe 
with  their  admirable  language,  a tincture  of  their  sci- 
ence, and  of  their  refined  taste  in  poetry  and  elo- 
quence. About  the  same  time,  the  purity  of  the  Latin 
was  revived;  and  the  art  of  printing,  invented  about 
that  time,  extremely  facilitated  the  progress  of  all  these 
improvements.  The  invention  of  gunpowder  ©hang- 
ed the  whole  art  of  war;  and  mighty  innovations  were 
soon^after  made  in  religion.  Thus  a general  revolu- 
tion was  produced  in  human  affairs  throughout  this 
part  of  the  world;  and  men  gradua'ly  entered  on  that 
career  of  commerce,  arts,  science,  government,  and 
police,  in  which,  with  the  exception  of  some  pauses, 
they  have  ever  since  been  persevering. 


180  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


CHAPTER  X. 

• # • 

The  Reign  of  Henry  VIII. 

The  accession  of  Henry  the  Eighth  spread  univer* 
sal  joy  and  satisfaction.  Instead  of  a monarch  jeaL 
ous,  severe,  and  avaricious,  a young  prince  of  eigh« 
I r n(>i  teen  had  succeeded  to  the  throne,  who,  even 
■*  in  the  eyes  of  men  of  sense,  gave  promising 
hopes  of  his  future  conduct,  much  more  in  those  of 
the  people,  always  enchanted  with  novelty,  youth, 
i and  royal  dignity.  Hitherto  he  had  been  occupied 

entirely  in  manly  exercises  and  the  pursuits  of  litera- 
ture j and  the  proficiency  which  he  made  in  each, 
gave  no  bad  prognostic  of  his  parts  and  capacity. 
Even  the  vices  of  vehemence,  ardour,  and  impatience, 
to  which  he  was  subject,  and  which  afterwards  degen- 
' ©rated  into  tyranny,  were  considered  only  as  faults  of 

unguarded  youth,  which  would  be  corrected  by  time. 

The  chief  competitors  for  favour  were  the  earl  of 
Surrey,  and  Fox,  bishop  of  Winchester.  The  former 
was  a dexterous  courtier,  and  promoted  that  taste  for 
pleasure  and  magnificence,  which  began  to  prevail 
under  the  young  monarch.  The  vast  treasures  amass- 
ed by  the  late  king,  were  gradually  dissipated  in  the 
giddy  expenses  of  Henry  3 or  if  he  intermitted  the 
course  of  his  festivity,  he  chiefly  employed  himself 
in  an  application  to  music  and  literature,  which  were 
his  favourite  pursuits,  and  which  were  well  adapted 
to  his  genius.  And  though  he  was  so  unfortunate  as  to 
be  seduced  into  a study  of  the  barren  controversies 
of  the  schools,  which  were  then  fashionable,  and  had 
chosen  Thomas  Aquinas  for  his  favourite  author,  he 
still  discovered  a capacity  for  more  useful  and  inter- 
esting acquirements. 

Epsom  and  Dudley  were  sent  to  the  Tower,  and 
soon  after  brought  to  trial  3 and  their  execution  was 
less  an  act  of  justice,  than  for  the  purpose  of  gratify- 
ing the  people.  Henry,  however,  while  he  punished 
the  instruments  of  past  tyranny,  paid  such  deference 
to  former  engagements,  as  to  celebrate  his  marriage 
with  the  infanta  Catherine,  though  her  former  mar- 
riage with  his  brother  was  urged  by  the  primate  as  ao 
lmDortant  objection. 


HENRY  VIII. 


iSi 


At  this  time,  when  the  situation  of  the  several  [ow- 
*rful  states  of  Europe  promised,  by  balancing  each 
other,  a long  tranquillity,  the  flames  of  war  were  kin- 
dled by  Julius  It  an  ambitious  and  enterprising  pon- 
tiff, who  determined  to  expel  all  foreigners  from  Italy, 
and  drew  over  Ferdinand  to  his  party.  He  solicited 
the  favour  of  England,  by  sending  Henry  a sacred 
rose,  perfumed  with  musk,  and  anointed  with  chrism  ) 
and  he  also  gave  him  hopes,  that  the  title  of  u Most 
Christian  King,”  which  had  hitherto  been  annexed  to 
the  crown  of  France,  should , in  reward  of  his  servi- 
ces, be  transferred  to  that  of  England.  Impatient  al- 
so of  acquiring  distinction  in  Europe,  Henry  joined 
the  alliance,  which  the  pope,  in  conjunction  with  Spain 
and  Venice,  had  formed  against  the  French  monarch. 

Henry’s  intended  invasion  of  France  roused  the 
jealousy  of  the  Scottish  nation.  The  ancient  league 
which  subsisted  between  France  and  Scotland,  was 
conceived  to  be  the  strongest  band  of  connexion  ; and 
the  Scots  universally  believed,  that  were,  it  not  for 
the  countenance  which  they  received  from  this  for- 
eign alliance,  they  had  never  been  able  so  long  to 
maintain  tlnrir  independence  against  a people  so  much 
superior.  James  was  farther  incited  to  take  part  in 
the  quarrel  by  the  invitations  of  Anne  queen  of  France, 
whose  knight  he  had  ever  in  all  tournaments  professed 
himself,  and  who  summoned  him,  according  to  the 
ideas  of  romantic  gallantry,  prevalent  in  that  age,  to 
take  the  field  in  her  defence,  and  to  prove  himself  her 
true  an  J valorous  champion.  He  first  sent  a squadron 
of  ships  to  the  assistance  of  France,  the  only  fleet 
which  Scotland  seems  ever  to  have  possessed  j and 
though  he  still  made  professions  of  maintaining,  a neu- 
trality, the  English  ambassador  easily  foresaw,  that  a 
war  would  in  the  end  prove  inevitable,  and  gave  warn- 
ing of  the  danger  to  his  master. 

Henrv.  ardent  for  military  fame,  was  little  discour- 
aged by  this  appearance  of  a diversion  from  the  north 
He  had  now  got  a minister  vvho  flattered  him  in  every 
scheme  to  which  his  impetuous  temper  inclined. 
Thomas  Wolsey,  dean  of  Lincoln,  and  almoner  to  the 
king,  surpassed  in  favour  all  his  ministers,  and  was 
fast  advancing  towards  that  unrivalled  grandeur  which 
he  afterwards  attained.  This  man  was  soi?.  of  a butch 


182 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


er  at  Ipswich ; but  having  got  a learned  education,  and 
being  endowed  with  an  excellent  capacity,  he  was 
admitted  into  the  marquis  of  Dorset's  family  as  tutor  ' 
to  'that  nobleman's  children,  and  soon  gained  the  fa- 
vour and  countenance  of  his  patron.  He  was  recom- 
mended to  be  chaplain  to  Henry  VII.;  and  being  em- 
ployed by  that  monarch  in  a secret  negotiation,  he 
acquitted  himself  to  the  king’s  satisfaction,  and  was 
considered  at  court  as  a rising  man.  The  death  of 
Henry  retarded  his  advancement;  but  Fox  bishop  of 
Winchester  cast  his  eye  upon  him,  as  one  who  might 
be  serviceable  to  him  in  his  present  situation.  This 
prelate,  observing  that  the  earl  of  Surrey  had  totally 
eclipsed  him  in  favour,  resolved  to  introduce  Wolsey 
to  the  young  prince's  familiarity,  and  hoped  that  he 
might  rival  Surrey  in  his  insinuating  arts,  and  yet  be 
content  to  act  in  the  cabinet  a part  subordinate  to  Fox 
himself,  who  had  promoted  him.  In  a little  time 
Wolsey  gained  so  much  on  the  king,  that  he  supplant- 
ed both  Surrey  in  his  favour,  and  Fox  in  his  trust  and 
confidence.  Being  admitted  to  Henry  s pities  of 
pleasure,  he  took  the  lead  in  every  jovial  conversation, 
and  promoted  all  that  frolic  and  entertainment  which 
he  found  suitable  to  the  age  and  inclination  of  the 
young  monarch.  Neither  his  own  years,  which  were 
near  forty,  nor  his  character  of  a clergyman,  were  any 
restraint  upon  him,  or  engaged  him  to  check,  by  any 
useless  severity,  the  gayety  in  which  Henry  passed  his 
careless  hours. 

The  king  soon  advanced  his  favourite,  from  being 
the  companion  of  his  pleasures,  to  be  a member  of  his 
council ; and  from  being  a member  of  his  council,  to 
be  his  sole  and  absolute  minister.  By  this  rapid  ad- 
vancement and  uncontrolled  authority,  the  character 
and  genius  of  Wolsey  had  full  opportunity  to  display 
themselves.  Insatiable  in  his  acquisitions,  but  still 
more  magnificent  in  his  expense;  of  extensive  capaci- 
ty, but  still  more  unbounded  enterprise;  ambitious  of 
power,  but  still  more  desirous  of  glory*;  insinuating, 
engaging,  persuasive;  and,  by  turns,  lofty,  elevated, 
commanding;  haughty  to  his  equals,  but  affable  to  his 
dependants;  oppressive  to  the  people,  but  liberal  to 
his  friends;  more  generous  than  grateful ; less  moved 
by  injuries  than  by  contempt ; he  was  framed  to  takt 


HENRY  VIII. 


183 


the  ascendant  in  every  intercourse  with  others,  but 
exerted  this  superiority  of  nature  with  such  ostenta- 
tion as  exposed  him  to  envy,  and  made  every  one 
willing  to  recall  the  original  inferiority  of  his  coildi- 
tion. 

A considerable  force  having  sailed  over  to  Calais, 
Henry  prepared  to  follow  with  the  main  body  and  rear 
of  the  army  ; and  he  appointed  the  queen  regent  of  the 
kingdom  during  his  absence.  He  was  accompanied 
by  the  duke  of  Buckingham,  and  many  others  of  the 
nobility  ; but  of  the  allies,  on  whose  assistance  he  re- 
lied, the  Swiss  alone  performed  their  engagements,  and 
invaded  France.  The  emperor  Maximilian,  instead  of 
reinforcing  the  Swiss  with  eight  thousand  men,  as  he 
had  promised,  joined  the  English  army  with  a few 
German  and  Flemish  soldiers  3 and  observing  the  dis- 
position of  the  English  monarch  to  be  more  bent  on 
glory  than  on  interest,  he  enlisted  himself  into  his 
service,  and  received  one  hundred  crowns  a-da}',  as 
one  of  his  subjects  and  captains,  though,  in  reality,  he 
directed  all  the  operations  of  the  English  army. 

Terouane,  a town  situated  on  the  frontiers  of  Picar- 
dy, was  reduced  to  the  last  extremity  from  want  of 
provisions  and  ammunition,  when  eight  hundred  horse- 
men, each  of  whom  carried  a sack  of  gunpowder  be 
hind  him,  and  two  quarters  of  bacon,  made  a sudden 
irruption  into  the  English  camp,  deposited  their  burden 
in  the  town,  and  again  broke  through  the  English 
without  suffering  any  loss  in  tnis  dangerous  enter- 
prise. But  the  English  had,  soon  after,  full  revenge 
for  the  insult.  Henry  had  received  intelligence  of 
the  approach  of  the  French  horse,  who  had  advanced 
to  protect  another  incursion  of  Fontraillesj  and  he 
ordered  some  troops  to  pass  the  Lis,  for  the  purpose 
of  opposing  him.  The  cavalry  of  France,  though  they 
consisted  chiefly  of  gentlemen  who  had  behaved  with 
great  gallantry  in  many  desperate  actions  in  Italy, 
were,  on  sight  of  the  enemy,  seized  with  so  unac- 
countable a panic,  that  they  immediately  took  to 
flight,  and  were  pursued  by  the  English.  The  duke 
of  Longue ville,  who  commanded  the  French,  and 
tnany  other  officers  of  distinction,  were  made  prison 
ers.  This  action,  or  rather  rout,  is  sometimes  called 
the  battle  of  Guinegate,  from  the  place  where  it  waa 


a 84 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


fought  5 but  more  commonly  the  u Battle  of  Spurs/ 
because  the  French,  that  day,  made  more  use  of  then 
spurs,  than  of  their  swords  or  military  weapons. 

.After  the  capture  of  Terouane  and  Tournay,  the 
king  returned  to  England,  and  carried  with  him  the 
greater  part  of  his  army.  Success  had  attended  him 
in  every  enterprise  ; but  all  men  of  judgment  were 
convinced  that  this  campaign  was,  in  reality,  both  ru- 
inous and  inglorious  to  him. 

The  success  which  attended  Henry’s  arms  in  the 
north,  was  much  more  decisive.  The  king  of  Scot- 
land had  assembled  the  whole  force  of  his  kingdom  : 
and  after  passing  the  Tweed  with  an  army  of  fifty 
thousand  men,  he  ravaged  the  parts  of  Northumber- 
land nearest  to  that  river,  and  employed  himself  in 
taking  several  castles  of  small  importance.  The  earl 
of  Surrey,  having  collected  a force  of  twenty-six  thou- 
sand men,  marched  to  the  defence  of  the  country,  and 
approached  the  Scots,  who  had  encamped  on  some 
high  ground  near  the  hills  of  Cheviot.  Surrey  feigned 
a march  towards  Berwick  5 and  the  Scottish  army  hav- 
ing descended  the  hill,  an  engagement  became  inevi- 
table. A furious  action  commenced,  and  was  contin- 
ued till  night  separated  the  combatants.  The  victory 
seemed  yet  undecided,  and  the  numbers  that  fell  on 
each  side  were  nearly  equal,  amounting  to  above  five 
thousand  men  ; but  the  morning  discovered  where  the 
advantage  lay.  The  English  had  lost  only  persons  of 
small  note  ; but  the  Scottish  nobility  had  fallen  in  bat- 
tle, and  their  king  himself,  after  the  most  diligent  in- 
quiry, could  no  where  be  found. 

The  king  of  Scotland,  and  most  of  his  chief  nobles, 
being  slain  in  the  field  of  Flouden,  an  inviting  oppor- 
tunity was  offered  to  Henry  of  reducing  that  kingdom 
to  subjection : hut  he  discovered  on  this  occasion  a 
mind  truly  great  and  generous.  When  the  queen  of 
Scotland,  Margaret,  who  was  created  regent  during 
the  infancy  of  her  son,  applied  for  peace,  he  readily 
granted  it;  and  compassionated  the  helpless  condition 
of  his  sister  and  nephewr.  The  earl  of  Surrey,  who 
had  gained  him  so  great  a victory,  was  restorer  to  the 
title  of  duke  of  Norfolk,  which  had  been  forfeited  by 
his  father  for  engaging  on  the  side  of  Richard  the 
Third;  and  Wolsey,  who  was  both  his  favourite  and 
his  minister,  was  created  bishop  of  Lincoln. 


HENRY  VIII. 


185 


Peace  with  Scotland  enabled  Henry  to  prosecute 
1 5141  enterPrise  against  France,  yet  several  inci- 
' dents  opened  his  eyes  to  the  rashness  of  the 
undertaking  j and  the  duke  of  Longueville,  who  had 
been  made  prisoner  at  the  battle  of  Guincgate,  was 
ready  to  take  advantage  of  this  disposition.  He  rep- 
resented, that  as  Lewis  was  a widower  without  male 
children,  no  marriage  could  be  more  suitable  to  him 
than  that  with  the  princess  Mary,  the  sister  of  Henry. 
The  king  seemed  to  hearken  to  this  discourse  with 
willing  ears  ; and  Longueville  received  full  powers 
from  his  master  for  negotiating  the  treaty.  The  ar- 
ticles were  easily  adjusted  between  the  monarchs. 

The  espousals  of  Mary  and  Lewis  were  soon  after 
celebrated  at  Abbeville  j but  th  j monarch  was  seduced 
into  a course  of  gayety  and  pleasure,  very  unsuitable 
to  the  declining  state  of  his  health,  and  died  in  less 
than  three  months  after  the  marriage.  He  was 


1515] 


succeeded  by  Francis,  duke  of  Angouleme,  who 


had  married  the  eldest  daughter  of  Lewis. 

The  numerous  enemies  whom  Wolsey's  sudden 
elevation  and  haughty  deportment  had  raised  him, 
served  only  to  rivet  him  faster  in  Henry's  confidence. 
He  preferred  him  to  the  archbishopric  of  York,  and  al- 
lowed him  to  unite  with  it  the  sees  of  Durham  and  of 
Winchester  j while  the  pope,  observing  his  great  in- 
fluence over  the  king,  and  desirous  of  engaging  him 
in  his  interests,  created  him  a cardinal.  His  train 
consisted  of  eight  hundred  servants,  of  whom  many 
were  knights  and  gentlemen.  Whoever  was  distin- 
guished by  any  art  or  science,  paid  court  to  the  cardi- 
nal ; and  none  paid  court  in  vain.  Literature,  which 
was  then  in  its  infancy,  found  in  him  a generous  pa- 
tron ; and  both  by  his  public  institutions  and  private 
bounty,  he  gave  encouragement  to  every  branch  of 
erudition.  Not  content,  however,  with  this  munifi- 
cence, which  gained  him  the  approbation  of  the  wise, 
he  strove  to  dazzle  the  eyes  of  the  populace,  by  the 
splendour  of  his  equipage  and  furniture,  the  costly 
embroidery  of  his  liveries,  and  the  richness  of  his  ap 
parel. 

Warham,  chancellor  and  archbishop  of  Canterbury 
a man  of  a moderate  temper,  and  averse  to  all  dis- 
putes, chose- rather  to  retire  from  public  employment 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


136 


khan  maintain  an  unequal  contest  with  the  haughty  car 
dinal.  He  resigned  his  office  of  chancellor;  and  the 
great  seal  was  immediately  delivered  to  Wolsey.  II 
this  new  accumulation  of  dignity  increased  his  ene- 
mies, it  also  served  to  exa  t his  personal  character, 
and  prove  the  extent  of  his  capacity.  A strict  admin- 
istration of  justice  took  place  during  the  time  he  filled 
this  high  office  ; and  no  chancellor  ever  discovered 
greater  impartiality  in  his  decisions,  deeper  penetra- 
tion of  judgment,  or  more  enlarged  knowledge  of  law 
and  equity. 

The  title  of  legate,  which  was  afterwards  conferred 
on  Wolsey,  brought  with  it  a gre-at  accession  of  pow- 
er and  dignity.  He  erected  an  office,  which  he  called 
the  legatine  court,  and  on  which  he  conferred  a kind 
of  inquisitorial  and  censorial  power,  even  over  the 
laity  ; and  directed  it  to  inquire  into  all  actions,  which, 
though  they  escaped  the  law,  might  appear  contrary 
to  good  morals.  .The  abuse,  however,  of  this  court, 
at  length  reached  the  king’s  ears;  and  he  expressed 
such  displeasure  to  the  cardinal,  as  made  him  ever  af- 
ter more  cautious  in  exerting  his  authority. 

While  Henry,  indulging  himself  in  pleasure  and 
. p. . q,  amusement,  intrusted  the  government  of  his 
° J kingdom  to  this  imperious  minister,  an  incident 
happened  abroad,  which  excited  his  attention.  Maxi- 
milian, the  emperor,  died;  a man  who,  of  himself, 
was  indeed  of  little  consequence;  but  as  his  death 
left  vacant  the  first  station  among  Christian  princes, 
it  set  the  passions  of  men  in  agitation,  and  proved  a 
kind  of  era  in  the  general  system  of  Europe.  The 
kings  of  France  and  Spain  immediately  declared  them- 
selves candidates  for  the  imperial  crown,  and  employ- 
ed every  expedient  of  money  or  intrigue,  which  prom- 
ised them  success  in  so  great  a point  of  ambition. 
Henry  also  was  encouraged  to  advance  his  preten- 
sions; but’.'is  minister,  Pace,  who  waa  despatched  to 
the  electors,  found  that  he  began  to  canvass  too  late. 

Francis  and  Charles  professed  from  the  beginning 
to  carry  on  this  rivalship  without  enmity  ; but  all  men 
perceived  that  this  moderation  would  not  be  of  long 
duration;  and  when  Charles  at  length  prevailed,  the 
French  monarch  could  not  suppress  his  indignation  af 
being  disappointed  in  so  important  a pretension  Both 


HENRY  VIII. 


187 

of  them  were  princes  endowed  with  talents  and  abili- 
ties 5 brave,  aspiring,  active,  warl.ke;  beloved  by 
their  servants  and  subjects,  dreaded  by  their  enemies, 
and  respected  by  all  the  world  : Francis,  open,  frank, 
liberal,  munificent,  carrying  these  virtues  to  an  excess 
which  prejudiced  his  affairs  : Charles,  political,  close, 
artful,  frugal  j better  qualified  to  obtain  success  in 
wars  and  in  negotiations,  especially  the  latter.  The 
one  the  more  amiable  man  j the  other  the  greater  mon- 
arch. Charles  reaped  the  succession  of  Castile,  of  Arra- 
gon,  of  Austria,  of  the  Netherlands:  he  inherited  the 
conquest  of  Naples,  of  Grenada  : election  entitled  him 
to  the  empire  : even  the  bounds  of  the  globe  seemed 
to  be  enlarged  a little  before  his  time,  that  he  might 
possess  the  whole  treasure,  as  yet  entire  and  unrifled, 
of  the  new  world.  But  though  the  concurrence  of 
all  these  advantages  formed  an  empire,  greater  and 
more  extensive  than  any  known  in  Europe  since  that 
of  the  Romans,  the  kingdom  of  .France  alone,  being 
close,  compact,  united,  rich,  populous,  and  interposed 
between  the  provinces  of  the  emperor's  dominions 
was  able  to  make  a vigorous  opposition  to  his  progress 
and  maintain  the  contest  against  him. 

Henry  possessed  the  felicity  of  being  able,  both  by 
the  native  force  of  his  kingdom  and  its  situation,  to 
hold  the  balance  between  those  two  powers ; but  he 
was  heedless,  inconsiderate,  capricious,  and  impolitic. 
Francis,  well  acquainted  with  his  character,  solicited 
an  interview  near  Calais,  in  hopes  of  being  able,  by 
familiar  conversation,  to  gain  upon  his  friendship  and 
confidence.  Wolsey  earnestly  seconded  this  propo- 
sal; and,  as  Henry  himself  loved  show  and  magnifi- 
cence, he  cheerfully  adjusted  the  preliminaries  of  the 
interview.  The  two  monarchs  met  in  a field  within 
the  English  pale,  between  Guisnes  and  Andres ; and 
I .flA-i  such  was  their  profusion  of  expense,  as  pro- 
-*  cured  to  the  place  the  name  of  the  Field  of  in e 
Cloth  of  Gold. 

A defiance  had  been  sent  by  the  two  kings  to  each 
other's  court,  and  through  all  the  chief  cities  of  Eu- 
rope, importing,  that  Henry  and  Francis,  with  four- 
teen aids,  would  be  ready  in  the  plains  of  PiGardy,  to 
answer  all  comers  that  were  gentlemen,  at  tilt  and 
tournament.  The  monarchs,  in  order  to  fulfil  this 


188 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND 


challenge,  advanced  into  the  field  on  horseback; 
Francis,  surrounded  with  Henry's  guards,  and  Henry 
with  those  of  Francis.  They  were  gorgeously  appa- 
relled ; and  were  both  of  them  the  most  comely  per- 
sonages of  their  age,  as  well  as  the  most  expert  in 
every  military  exercise.  They  carried  away  the  prize 
at  all  trials  in  those  dangerous  pastimes.  The  ladies 
were  the  judges  in  these  feats  of  chivalry,  and  put  an 
end  to  the  rencounter  whenever  they  deemed  it  expe* 
dient. 

Henry  afterwards  paid  a visit  to  the  emperor  and 
Margaret  of  Savoy  at  Gravelines ; and  the  artful 
Charles  effaced  all  the  friendship  to  which  the  frank 
and  generous  nature  of  Francis  had  given  birth.  He 
secured  Wolsey  in  his  interests,  by  assuring  him  of 
nis  assistance  in  obtaining  the  papacy,  and  by  putting 
him  in  immediate  possession  of  the  revenues  belong- 
ing to  the  sees  of  Badajox  and  Placentia. 

The  violent  emulation  between  the  emperor  and 
the  French  king  soon  broke  out  in  hostilities.  Henry, 
who  pretended  to  be  neutral,  engaged  them  to  send 
their  ambassadors  to  Calais,  there  to  negotiate  a peace 
under  the  mediation  of  Wolsey  and  the  pope’s  nuncio. 
The  emperor  was  well  apprized  of  the  partiality  of 
these  mediators;  and  his  demands  in  the  conference 
were  so  unreasonable  as  plainly  proved  him  conscious 
of  the  advantage.  On  Francis  rejecting  the  terms  pro- 
posed, the  congress  of  Calais  broke  up,  and  Wolsey, 
soon  after,  took  a journey  to  Bruges,  where  he  met 
with  the  emperor.  He  was  received  with  the  same 
state,  magnificence,  and  respect,  as  if  he  had  been  the 
king  of  England  himself;  and  he  concluded,  in  his 
master’s  name,  an  offensive  alliance  with  the  pope  ar.d 
the  emperor,  the  result  of  the  private  views  and  am- 
bitious projects  of  the  cardinal. 

An  event  of  the  greatest  importance  engrossed  at 
this  time  the  attention  of  all  Europe.  Leo  X.,  by 
his  generous  and  enterprising  temper,  having  exhaust- 
ed his  treasury,  in  order  to  support  his  liberalities, 
had  recourse  to  the  sale  of  indulgences.  The  produce 
of  this  revenue,  particularly  that  which  arose  from 
Saxony  and  the  countries  bordering  on  the  Baltic,  was 
farmed  out  to  a merchant  of  Genoa.  The  scandal  of 
this  transaction,  with  the  licentious  lives  which  the 


HENRY  VIII. 


ICO 

collectors  are  reported  to  have  led,  roused  Martin  Lu 
ther,  a professor  of  the  university  of  Wittemberg 
who  not  only  preached  against  these  abuses  in  the  sale 
of  indulgences,  but  even  decried  indulgences  them 
selves,  and  was  thence  carried,  by  the  heat  of  dispute, 
to  question  the  authority  of  the  pope.  Finding  his 
opinions  greedily  hearkened  to,  he  promulgated  them 
by  writing  and  discourse  ; and  in  a short  time,  all  Eu- 
rope was  filled  with  the  voice  of  this  daring  innovator. 

As  there  subsisted  in  England  great  remains  of  the 
Lollards,  the  doctrines  of  Luther  secretly  gained  ma- 
ny partisans  ; but  Henry  had  been  educated  in  a strict 
attachment  to  the  church  of  Rome,  and  therefore  op- 
posed the  progress  of  the  Lutheran  tenets,  by  all  tbo 
influence  which  his  extensive  and  almost  absolute  au- 
thority conferred  upon  him.  He  even  wrote  a book 
in  Latin,  against  the  principles  of  Luther ; a perform- 
ance which,  if  allowance  be  made  for  the  subject  and 
the  age,  does  no  discredit  to  his  capacity.  He  sent 
a copy  to  Leo,  who  received  so  magnificent  a present 
with  great  testimony  of  regard  ; and  conferred  on  him 
the  title  of  Defender  of  the  Faith  ; an  appellation  still 
retained  by  the  kings  of  England. 

Henry  having  declared  war  against  France,  Surrey 
I 590  I land*l  some  troops  at  Cherbourg  in  Normandy  ; 

and  after  laying  waste  the  country,  he  sailed  to 
Mori  lix,  a rich  town  in  Brittany,  which  he  took  and 
plundered.  The  war  with  France,  however,  proceed- 
ed slowly  for  want  of  money.  Henry  had  caflsed  a 
general  survey  to  be  made  of  his  kingdom,  and  had  is- 
sued his  privy  seal  to  the  most  wealthy,  demanding 
loans  of  particular  sums  : he  soon  after  published  an 
edict  for  a general  tax  upon  his  subjects,  which  he 
still  called  a loan;  and  he  levied  five  shillings  in  the 
pound  upon  the  clergy,  and  two  upon  the  laity.  The 
parliament,  which  was  summoned  about  this  time,  was 
far  from  complaining  of  these  illegal  transactions:  but 
the  commons,  more  tenacious  of  their  money  than 
their  national  privileges,  refused  a grant  of  e.ight  hun- 
dred thousand  pounds,  divided  into  four  yearly  pay- 
ments ; ailiin  computed  to  be  equal  to  four  shillings 
in  the  pound  of  one  year's  revenue  ; and  they  only 
voted  an  imposition  of  three  shillings  in  the  pound  on 
all  possessed  of  fifty  pounds  a-year  and  upwards,  oi 


r r 


190  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

two  shillings  in  the  pound  on  all  who  enjoyed  twenty 
pounds  a-year  and  upwards,  one  shilling  on  all  who 
possessed  between  twenty  pounds  and  forty  shillings 
a-year,  and  on  the  other  subjects  above  sixteen  years 
of  age,  a groat  a-head.  The  king  was  dissatisfied  with 
this  saving  disposition  of  the  commons  j and  on  pre- 
tence of  necessity,  he  levied  in  one  year,  from  all  who 
were  worth  forty  pounds,  what  the  parliament  had 
granted  him  payable  in  four  years.  These  irregularities 
were  commonly  ascribed  to  Wolsey’s  counsels,  who, 
trusting  to  the  protection  afforded  him  by  his  ecclesi- 
astical character,  was  the  less  scrupulous  in  his  en- 
croachments on  the  civil  rights  of  the  nation. 

A new  treaty  was  concluded  between  Henry  and 
15241  Hilaries  for  the  invasion  of  France  5 but  the 
-*  duke  of  Bourbon  to  whom  Charles  confided  a 
powerful  army,  in  order  to  conquer  Provence  and  Dau- 
phiny,  was  obliged,  after  an  ineffectual  attempt  on 
Marseilles,  to  lead  his  forces,  weakened,  baffled,  and 
disheartened,  into  Italy.  Francis  might  now  have 
enjoyed,  in  safety,  the  glory  of  repulsing  all  his  ene- 
mies 3 but,  ardent  for  the  conquest  of  Milan,  he  pass- 
ed the  Alps,  and  laid  siege  to  Pavia,  a town  of  con- 
siderable strength,  and  defended  by  Leyva,  one  of  the 
bravest  officers  in  the  Spanish  service.  E^ery  attempt 
which  the  French  king  made  to  gain  this  important 
1 52"!  place  proved  fruitless.  Fatigue  and  unfavoura- 
ble  weather  had  wasted  the  French  army,  when 
the  imperial  army,  commanded  by  Pescara,  Lannoy, 
and  Bourbon,  advanced  to  raise  the  siege.  The  im- 
perial generals;  after  cannonading  the  French  camp 
for  several  days,  at  last  made  a general  assault,  and 
broke  into  the  intrenchments.  Francis’s  forces  were 
put  to  the  rout,  and  himself,  surrounded  by  his  ene- 
mies, after  fighting  with  heroic  valour,  and  killing  sev- 
en men  with  his  own  hand,  was  obliged  at  last  to  sur- 
render himself  prisoner.  Almost  the  whole  army,  full 
of  nobility  and  brave  officers,  either  perished  by  the 
sword,  or  were  drowned  in  the  river.  The  few  who  es- 
caped with  their  lives  fell  into  the  hands  of#the  enemy. 

Henry  was  startled  at  this  important  event,  and  be- 
came sensible  of  his  own  danger,  from  the  loss  of  a 
proper  counterpoise  to  the  power  of  Charles.  Instead 
of  taking  advantage,  therefore,  of  the  distressed  ccn 


HENRY  VIII.  191 

dition  of  Francis,  he  was  determined  to  lend  him  as- 
sistance  in  his  present  calamities  3 and,  as  the  glory 
of  generosity  in  raising  a fallen  enemy  concurred  with 
his  political  interest,  he  hesitated  the  less  in  embra- 
cing these  new  measures.  He  concluded  an  alliance 
with  the  regent  of  France,  and  engaged  to  procure 
her  son  his  liberty  on  reasonable  conditions.  Charles, 
dreading  a general  combination,  against  him,  was  at 
length  prevailed  on  to  sign  the  treaty  of  Madrid.  The 
principal  condition  was  the  restoring  of  Francis’s  lib- 
erty, and  the  delivery  of  his  two  eldest  sons  as  hos- 
tages to  the  emperor  for  the  cession  of  Burgundy. 

The  more  to  cement  the  union  between  Henry  and 
Francis,  anew  treaty  was  some  time  after  concluded 
at  London  3 in  which  the  former  agreed  finally  to  re- 
nounce all  claims  to  the  crown  of  France  3 claims 
which  might  now  indeed  be  deemed  chimerical,  but. 
which  often  served  as  a pretence  for  disturbing  the 
tranquillity  of  the  two  nations.  As  a return  for  this 
concession,  Francis  bound  himself  and  his  successors 
to  pay  for  ever  fifty  thousand  crowns  a year  to  Henry 
and  his  successors  3 and  that  greater  solemnity  might 
be  given  to  this  treaty,  it  was  agreed  that  the  parlia- 
ments and  great  nobility  of  both  kingdoms  should 
give  their  assent  to  it.  Thus,  the  terror  of  the  empe- 
ror’s greatness  had  extinguished  the  ancient  animos- 
ity between  the  nations  3 and  Spain,  during  more 
than  a century,  became  the  object  of  jealousy  to  the 
English. 

The  marriage  of  Henry  with  Catherine  of  Arragon, 
his  brother’s  widow,  had  not  passed,  without  much 
scruple  and  difficulty  3 the  prejudices  of  the  people 
were  in  general  bent  against  a conjugal  union  between 
such  near  relations  3 and  with  some  doubts  that  natur- 
ally arose  in  Henry’s  mind,  there  concurred  other  caus- 
es, which  tended  much  to  increase  his  remorse.  The 
queen  was  older  than  the  king  by  no  less  than  six 
years  3 and  the  decay  of  her  beauty,  together  with 
particular  infirmities  and  diseases,  had  contributed, 
notwithstanding  her  blameless  character  and  deport- 
ment, to  render  her  person  unacceptable  to  him. 
Though  she  had  borrus  him  several  children,  they  all 
died  in  early  infancy,  except  one  daughter  3 and  he 
was  the  more  struck  with  this  misfortune,  because  the 


A '''  Y- 


m 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


course  of  being  childless  is  the  very  threatening  con 
tained  in  the  Mosaical  law  against  those  who  espouse 
their  brother’s  widow.  The  succession  too  of  the  crown 
was  a consideration  that  occurred  to  every  one,  when- 
ever the  lawfulness  of  Henry’s  marriage  was  called  in 
question  ; and  it  was  apprehended,  that  if  doubts  of 
Mary’s  legitimacy  concurred  with  the  weakness  of 
her  sex,  the  king  of  Scots,  the  next  heir,  would  ad- 
vance his  pretensions,  and  might  throw  the  kingdom 
into  confusion.  Thus  the  king  was  impelled,  both  by 
his  private  passions,  and  by  motives  of  public  interest 
to  seek  the  dissolution  of  his  inauspicious,  and,  as  it 
was  esteemed,  unlawful  marriage  with  Catherine. 

Anne  Boleyn,  who  lately  appeared  at  court,  had 
been  appointed  maid  of  honour  to  the  queen,  and  had 
acquired  an  entire  ascendant  over  Henry’s  affections. 
This  young  lady/  whose  grandeur  and  misfortunes 
have  rendered  her  so  celebrated,  was  daughter  of  sir 
Thomas  Boleyn,  who  had  been  employed  by  the  king 
in  several  embassies,  and  who  was  allied  to  all  the 
principal  nobility  in  the  kingdom.  Henry’s  scruples' 
or  aversion  had  made  him  break  off  all  conjugal  com- 
merce with  the  queen  ; but  as  he  still  supported  an 
intercourse  of  civility  and  friendship  with  her,  he  had 
occasion,  in  the  frequent  visits  which  he  paid  her,  to 
observe  the  beauty,  the  youth,  the  charms  of  Anne 
Boleyn.  Finding  the  accomplishments  of  her  mind 
no  wise  inferior  to  her  exterior  graces,  he  even  enter- 
tained the  design  of  raising  her  to  the  throne  : and  as 
every  motive  of  inclination  and  policy  seemed  thus  to 
concur  in  making  the  king  desirous  of  a divorce  from 
Catherine,  he  resolved  to  make  application  to  pope 
Clement,  and  sent  Knight,  his  secretary,  to  Rome  f<»r 
that  purpose.  Clement  was  then  a prisoner  in  the 
hands  of  the  emperor  5 and  when  the  English  secreta- 
ry solicited  him  in  private,  he  received  a very 
favourable  answer.  After  Clement  had  recov- 
ered his  liberty,  he  granted  a commission,  to  try  the 
validity  of  the  king’s  marriage,  in  which  cardinal 
Campeggio  was  joined  with  Wolsey ; but  in  confor- 
mity with  the  pope’s  views  and.  intentions,  the  former 
deferred  the  decision  by  the  most  artful  delays.  At 
length,  the  business  seemed  to  be  drawing  near  to  a 
period  : and  the  king  was  every  day  in  expectation  of 


HENRY  VIII. 


153 


a sentence  in  his  favour,  when  the  menaces  and 
promises  of  Charles  proved  successful  ; and  Clement 
suspending  the  commission  of  the  legates,  adjourned 
the  cause  to  his  own  personal  judgment  at  Rome. 

Wolsej?  had  long  foreseen  the  failure  of  this  meas- 
ure as  the  sure  forerunner  of  his  ruin.  The  dukes  of 
Norfolk  and  Suffolk  were  sent  to  require  from  him  the 
great  seal,  which  was  delivered  by  the  king  to  sir 
Thomas  More.  All  his  furniture  and  plate  were  seiz- 
ed; and  the  cardinal  was  ordered  to  retire  to  Esher, 
a country  seat  which  he  possessed  near  Hampton 
court. 

Dr.  Thomas  Cranmer,  fellow  of  Jesus  College  in 
Cambridge,  a man  remarkable  for  his  learning,  and 
still  more  for  the  candour  and  disinterestedness  of  his 
temper,  falling  one  evening  by  accident  into  company 
with  Gardiner,  now  secretary  of  state,  and  Fox,  the 
king’s  almoner,  the  business  of  the  divorce  became 
the  subject  of  conversation.  Cranmer  observed  that 
the  readiest  way,  either  to  quiet  Henry’s  conscience, 
or  extort  the  pope’s  consent,  would  be  to  consult  all 
the  universities  of  Europe  with  regard  to  this  contro- 
verted point.  When  the  king  was  informed  of  the 
proposal,  he  was  delighted  with  it,  and  immediately, 
in  prosecution  of  the  scheme  proposed,  employed  his 
agents  to  collect  the  judgments  of  all  the  universities 
in  Europe.  The  universities  of  France,  of  Venice, 
Ferrara,  Padua,  and  Bologna,  with  those  of  Oxford  and 
. Cambridge,  gave  their  opinion  in  the  king’s  fa- 

° vour;  and  the  convocations  both  of  Canterbu- 
ry and  York  pronounced  Henry’s  marriage  invalid. 
But  Clement,  who  was  still  under  the  influence  of 
the  emperor,  continued  to  summon  the  king  to  ap- 
pear, either  by  himself  or  proxy,  before  his  tribunal  at 
Rome. 

After  Wolsey  had  remained  some  time  at  Esher, ,# he 
was  allowed  to  remove  to  Richmond  ; bu^  the  cour- 
tiers, dreading  still  his  vicinity  to  the  king,  procured 
an ‘order  for  him  to  remove  to  his  see  of  York.  The 
cardinal,  therefore,  took  up  his  residence  at  Cawood 
in  Yorkshire  ; but  he  was  not  allowed  to  remain  long 
unmolested  in  this  retreat.  The  earl  of  Northumber- 
land received  orders,  without  regard  to  Wolsey’s  eccle- 
siastical character  to  arrest  him  for  high  tieason,  and 

VOL  1.  ~ 13 


194 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


to  conduct  him  to  London,  in  order  to  take  his  .Trial 
The  cardinal,  partly  from  the  fatigues  of  his  journey, 
partly  from  the  agitation  of  his  anxious  mind,  was  seiz- 
ed with  a disorder  which  turned  into  a dysentery,  and 
he  was  able,  with  some  difficulty,  to  reach  Leicester- 
abbey,  where  he  immediately  took  to  his  bed,  whence 
he  never  rose  more.  A little  before  he  expired, 
among  other  expressions  he  used  the  following  words 
to  sir  William  Kingston,  constable  of  the  Tower,  who 
had  nim  in  custody  : u Had  I but  served  God  as  dili- 
gently as  I have  served  my  king,  he  would  not  have 
given  me  over  in  my  gray  hairs.”  Thus  died  this  fa- 
mous cardinal,  whose  character  seems  to  have  con- 
tained as  singular  a variety  as  the  fortune  to  which  he 
was  exposed. 

A new  session  of  parliament  was  held,  together  with 
a convocation  ; and  from  the  latter  a confession 
■*  was  extorted,  that  “ the  king  was  the  protector, 
and  the  supreme  head  of  the  church  and  clergy  of 
England.”  In  the  next  session,  an  act  was  passed 
against  levying  the  annates  or  first-fruits  ; and  it  was 
also  voted,  that  any  censures  which  should  be  passed 
by  the  court  of  Rome  on  account  of  that  law,  should 
be  entirely  disregarded. 

Having  proceeded  too  far  to  recede,  Henry ‘private- 
ly celebrated  his  marriage  w'ith  Anne  Boleyn, 
whom  he  had  previously  created  marchioness 
of  Pembroke.  Anne  became  pregnant  soon  after  her 
marriage  ; and  this  event  gave  great  satisfaction  to  the 
king.  An  act  was  made  against  all  appeals  to  Rome 
in  causes  of  matrimony  and  divorces;  and  Henry  find- 
ing the  new  queen’s  pregnancy  to  advance,  publicly 
owned  his  marriage,  and  informed  Catherine  that  she 
was  hereafter  to  be  treated  only  as  princess-dowager 
of  Wales. 

The  parliament  enacted  laws  wffiich  were  totally 
subversive  of  the  papal  authority  in  England.  But 
the  most  important  law  passed  this  session,  was  that 
which  regulated  the  succession  to  the  crown.  The 
marriage  of  the  king  wuth  Catherine  was  declared  un- 
lawful, void,  and  of  no  effect;  and  the  marriage  with 
queen  Anne  was  established  and  confirmed.  The 
crown  was  appointed  to  descend  to  the  issue  of  this 
marriage,  and  failing  them,  to  the  king’s  heirs  forever 


HENRY  YIII. 


195 


An  oath  likewise  was  enjoined  to  be  taken  in  favour 
of  this  order  of  succession,  under  the  penalty  of  im- 
prisonment during  the  king’s  pleasure,  and  forfeiture 
of  goods  and  chattels.  Fisher,  bishop  of  Rochester, 
and  sir  Thomas  More,  were  the  only  persons  of 
note  who  scrupled  the  oath  of  succession  : and  the 
king  ordered  both  to  be  indicted  upon  the  statute,  and 
committed  prisoners  to  the  Tower. 

The  parliament  being  again  assembled,  conferred  on 
1 5341  tke  kinS  tke  t*t*e  tke  only  supreme  head  on 
-*  earth  of  the  church  of  England ; and  in  this 
memorable  act  they  acknowledged  his  inherent  pow- 
er, “to  visit,  and  repress,  redress,  reform,  order,  cor- 
rect, restrain,  or  amend,  all  errors,  heresies,  abuses, 
offences,  contempts,  and  enormities,  which  fell  under 
any  spiritual  authority,  or  jurisdiction.”  They  also 
declared  it  treason  to  attempt,  imagine,  or  speak  evil 
against  the  king,  queen,  or  his  heirs,  or  to  endeavour 
depriving  them  of  theft  dignities  or  titles.  They  gave 
him  a right  to  all  the  annates  and  tithes  of  benefices, 
which  had  formerly  been  paid  to  the  court  of  Rome. 
They  attainted  More  .and  Fisher  for  misprision  of  trea- 
son *,  and  they  completed  the  union  of  England  and 
Wales,  by  giving  to  that  principality  all  the  benefits 
of  the  English  laws. 

Though  Henry  had  rejected  the  authority  of  the  see 
of  Rome,  yet  the  idea  of  heresy  still  appeared  detesta- 
ble as  well  as  formidable  to  that  prince  5 and  for  more 
reasons  than  one,  he  was  indisposed  to  encounage  the 
opinions  of  the  reformers.  Separate  as  he  stood  from 
the  catholic  church,  and  from  the  Roman  pontiff,  the 
head  of  it,  he  still  valued  himself  on  maintaining  the 
catholic  doctrine,  and  on  guarding  by  are  and  sword 
the  imagined  purity  of  his  speculative  principles. 

Henry’s  ministers  and  courtiers  were  of  as  motley  a 
character  as  his  conduct ; and  seemed  to  waver,  du- 
ring this  whole  reign,  between  the  ancient  and  the 
new  religion.  The  queen,  engaged  by  interest  as  weii 
as  inclination,  favoured  the  cause  of  the  reformers. 
Cromwell,  who  was  created  secretary  of  state,  and 
who  was  daily  advancing  in  the  king’s  confidence,  had 
embraced  the  same  views  5 and  as  he  was  a man  of 
prudence  and  abilities,  he  was  able,  very  effectually, 
though  in  a covert  manner,  to  promote  the  late  inno 


[J6 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


vations.  Cranmer,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  had  se 
cretly  adopted  the  protestant  tenets  ; and  he  had  gain 
ed  Henry's  friendship  by  his  candour  and  sincerity  f 
virtues  which  he  possessed  in  as  eminent  a degree  as 
those  times,  equally  distracted  with  faction  and  op- 
pressed by  tyranny,  could  easily  permit.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  duke  of  Norfolk  adhered  to  the  ancient 
faith  5 and  by  his  high  rank,  as  well  as  by  his  talents 
both  for  peace  and  war,  he  had  great  authority  in  the 
king's  council  : Gardiner,  lately  created  bishop  of 
Winchester,  had  enlisted  himself  in  the  same  party  5 
and  the  suppleness  of  his  character,  and  dexterity  of 
his  conduct,  had  rendered  him  one  of  its  principal 
supporters. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  king,  who  held  the  balance 
between  the  factions,  was  enabled,  by  the  courtship 
paid  him  both  by  protestants  and  catholics,  to  assume 
an  unbounded  authority.  The  ambiguity  of  his  con- 
duct, though  it  kept  the  courtiers  in  awe,  served  in  the 
main  to  encourage  the  protestant  doctrine  among  his 
subjects.  The  books  composed  by  the  Lutherans 
were  secretly  imported  into  England,  and  made  con 
verts  every  where  ; but  a translation  of  the  Scriptures, 
by  Tindal,  who,  dreading  the  exertion  of  the  king’s 
authority,  had  fled  to  Antwerp,  was  justly  deemed 
one  of  the  most  fatal  blows  to  the  established  faith. 

Though  Henry  neglected  not  to  punish  those  who 
adhered  to  the  protestant  doctrine,  which  he  deemed 
heresy,  yet  he  knew  that  his  most  formidable  enemies 
were  the  monks,  who,  having  their  immediate  depen- 
dence on  the  Roman  pontiff,  apprehended  their  own 
ruin  to  be  the  certain  consequence  of  abolishing  his 
authority  in  England.  Some,  of  these  were  detected 
in  a conspiracy  5 and  the  detection  instigated  the  king 
to  take  vengeance  on  them.  He  suppressed  three 
monasteries  ; and  finding  that  little  clamour  was  ex- 
cited by  this  act  of  power,  he  was  more  encouraged 
to  lay  his  rapacious  hands  on  the  remainder.  Mean- 
while, he  exercised  punishments  on  individuals  who 
were  obnoxious  to  him.  The  parliament  had  made  it 
treason  to  endeavour  to  deprive  the  king  of  his  digni 
ty  or  titles;  they  had  lately  added  to  his  other  titles 
that  of  supreme  head  of  the  church  ; it  was  inferred 
diat  to  deny  his  supremacy  was  treason  ; and  many 


HENRY  VIII. 


197 


priors  and  ecclesiastics  lost  their  lives  for  this  new 
species  of  guilt.  Impelled  by  his  violent  temper,  and 
desirous  of  striking  a terror  into  the  whole  nation, 
Henry  proceeded,  by  making  examples  of  Fisher  and 
More,  to  consummate  his  tyranny. 

When  the  execution  of  Fisher  and  More  was  re- 
ported at  Rome,  Paul  III.,  who  had  succeeded  Cle- 
ment VII.  in  the  papal  throne,  excommunicated  the 
king  and  his  adherents,  deprived  him  of  his  crown, 
and  gave  his  kingdom  to  any  invader  ; but  he  delayed 
the  publication  of  this  sentence  till  the  empe- 
* ror,  who  was  at  that  time  hard  pressed  by  the 
Turks  and  the  protestant  princes  in  Germany,  should 
be  in  a condition  to  carry  it  into  execution.  Howev- 
er, an  incident  happened,  which  seemed  to  open  the 
way  for  a reconciliation  between  Henry  and  Charles, 
Queen  Catherine  died  at  Kimbolton  in  the  county  of 
Huntingdon,  of  a lingering  illness,  in  the  fiftieth  year 
of  her  age.  She  wrote  a very  tender  letter  to  the 
king,  a little  before  she  exDired,  in  which  she  gave 
him  the  appellation  of  her' most  dear  lord,  king,  and 
husband ; and  she  concluded  with  these  words : 11 1 
make  this  vow,  that  mine  eyes  desire  you  above  all 
things.”  The  king  was  touched  even  to  the  shedding 
of  tears,  by  this  last  tender  proof  of  Catherine’s  affec- 
tion j but  queen  Anne  is  said  to  have  expressed  her 
joy  for  the  death  of  a rival  beyond  what  decency  or 
humanity  could  permit. 

The  emperor  thought  that,  as  the  demise  of  his  aunt 
had  removed  all  foundation  of  a personal  animosity 
between  him  and  Henry,  it  might  not  be  impossible  to 
detach  him  from  the  alliance  of  France  5 but  Henry 
was  rendered  indifferent  to  the  advances  made  by  the 
emperor,  both  by  his  experience  of  the  duplicity,  and 
insincerity  of  that  monarch,  and  the  ill  success  that 
he  met  with  in  his  invasion  of  Provence. 

Henry,  conscious  of  the  advantages  of  his  situation, 
determined  to  suppress  the  monasteries,  and  to  put 
himself  in  possession  of  their  ample  revenues,  and  for 
that  purpose  he  delegated  his  supremacy  to  Crom- 
well, who  was  then  secretary  of  state,  and  who  em- 
ployed commissioners  to  inquire  into  the  conduct  and 
deportment  of  the  friars.  If  we  may  credit  the  report* 
of  the  commissioners,  monstrous  disorders  were  foimJ 


193 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


in  many  of  the  religious  houses.  Henry  had  recouisa 
to  his  usual  instrument  of  power,  the  parliament  3 and 
in  order  to  prepare  men  for  the  innovations  projected, 
the  report  of  the  visiters  was  published,  and  a genera, 
horror  was  endeavoured  to  be  excited  in  the  nation 
against  institutions,  which  had  long  been  the  objects 
of  the  most  profound  veneration.  An  act  was,  there- 
fore, passed,  by  which  three  hundred  and  seventy- 
six  monasteries  were  suppressed,  and  their  revenues, 
amounting  to  thirty-two  thousand  pounds  a-year,  were 
granted  to  the  king,  together  with  their  goods,  chat- 
tels, and  plate,  computed  at  a hundred  tnousand 
pounds  more.  It  does  not  appear  that  any  opposition 
was  made  to  this  important  law : so  absolute  was  Hen- 
ry s authority  ! 

But  while  the  supporters  of  the  new  religion  were 
exulting  in  their  prosperity,  they  met  with  a mortifica-  * 
tion  in  the  fate  of  their  patroness  Anne  Boleyn,  who 
lost  her  life  by  the  rage  of  her  furious  husband.  She 
had  been  delivered  of  a dead  son  ; and  Henry's  ex- 
treme fondness  for  male  issue  was  thereby  disappoint- 
ed. The  king's  love  was  transferred  to  Jane,  daugh- 
ter of  sir  John  Seymour;  and  he  was  determined  to 
sacrifice  every  thing  to  the  gratification  of  his  new  ap- 
petite. In  a tilting  at  Greenwich,  the  queen  happen- 
ed to  drop  her  handkerchief,  an  incident  probably  cas- 
ual, but  interpreted  by  the  king  as  an  instance  of  gal- 
lantry to  some  of  her  paramours.  He  immediately 
'arrested  several  persons,  in  the  number  of  whom  was 
lord  Rocheford,  the  queen’s  brother;  and  next  day  he 
ordered  the  queen  to  be  carried  to  the  Tower.  The 
queen  and  her  brother  were  tried  by  a jury  of  peers; 
and  the  chief  evidence  adduced  against  them  was,  that 
Rocheford  had  been  seen  to  lean  on  her  bed,  before 
some  company.  Unassisted  by  counsel,  the  queen 
defended  herself  with  great  judgment  and  presence  of 
mind  ; and  the  spectators  pronounced  her  entirely  in 
noc.ent.  Judgment,  however,  wjis-  given  against  both 
her  and  Rocheloul;  and  when  the  dreadful  sentence 
was  pronounced  lifting  up  her  hands  to  heaven,  she 
exclaimed,  “ O Father,  O Creator,  thou  who  art  the 
way,  the  truth,  and  the  life,  thou  know  est  that  1 have 
not  deserved  this  fate."  After  being  beheaded,  hei 
body  wa«  thrown  into  a common  chest  of  elm  tree, 


HENRY  VIII.  190 

wade  to  hold  arrows,  and  was  buried  in  the  Tower. 
The  innocence  of  Anne  Boleyn  cannot  reasonably  be 
called  in  question  5 and  the  king  made  the  most  ef- 
fectual apology  for  her,  by  marrying  Jane  Seymour  the 
day  after  the  execution.  The  parliament  had  the 
meanness  to  declare  the  issue  of  both  his  former  mar- 
riages illegitimate  5 and  the  crown  was  settled  on  the 
king’s  issue  by  Jane  Seymour,  or  any  subsequent  wife  j 
and  in  case  he  should  die  without  issue,  he  was  em- 
powered by  his  will  to  dispose  of  the  crown. 

A convocation  which  sat  at  the  same  time  with  the 
parliament,  determined  the  standard  of  faith  to  consist 
in  the  Scriptures,  and  the  three  creeds,  the  Apostolic, 
Nicene,  and  Athanasian  ; auricular  confession,  and 
penance,  were  admitted  ; but  no  mention  was  made  of 
marriage,  extreme  unction,  confirmation,  or  holy  or- 
ders, as  sacraments ; and  in  this  omission  the  influ- 
ence of  the  prohestants  appeared.  The  real  presence, 
however,  was  asserted,  conformably  to  the  ancient 
doctrine  j while  the  terms  of  acceptance  were  estab- 
lished to  be  the  merits  of  Christ,  and  the  mercy  and 
good  pleasure  of  God,  suitable  to  the  new  principles. 
These  articles  of  belief  were  formed  by  the  convoca- 
tion, corrected  by  the  kingr  and  subscribed  by  every 
member  of  that  society  5 whilst  not  one,  except  Henry, 
adopted  these  doctrines  and  opinions.  The  expelled 
monks,  wandering  about  the  country,  excited  both  the 
piety  and  compassion  of  men  ; and  as  the  ancient  reli- 
gion to  )k  hold  of  the  populace  by  powerful  motives, 
suited  to  vulgar  capacity,  it  was  able,  now  that  it  was 
brought  into  apparent  hazard,  to  raise  the  strongest 
zeal  in  its  favour.  The  first  rising  was  in  Lincoln- 
shire, and  amounted  to  about  twenty  thousand  men  5 
Dot  the  duke  of  Suffolk  appearing  at  the  head  of  some 
foices,  with  secret  assurances  of  pardon,  the  populace 
was  dispersed  and  a few  of  their  leaders  suffered. 
The  northern  rebels  were  more  numerous  and  more 
formidable  than  those  of  Lincolnshire.  One  Aske,  a 
gentleman,  had  taken  the  command  of  them,  and  pos- 
sessed the  art  of  governing  the  populace.  Their  enter- 
prise they  called  the  Pilgrimage  of  Grace:  they  took 
an  oath  that  their  only  motive  proceeded  from  theii 
love  to  God,  their  care  of  the  king's  person  and  issue, 
thsir  desire  of  purifying  the  nobility,  of  restoring  the 


200 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


.ro--.  church,  and  of  suppressing  heresy.  The  duke 

* J of  Norfolk  was  appointed  general  of  the  king’s 
forces  against  the  rebels.  Aske,  with  many  other 
chiefs,  was  put  to  death  ; and  an  amnesty  was  granted 
to  the  people. 

Not  long  after  this  prosperous  issue,  Henry's  joy 
was  crowned  by  the  birth  of  a son,  who  was  baptized 
by  the  name  of  Edward  ; yet  his  happiness  was  not 
without  alloy,  for  in  two  days  after  the  queen  died. 
The  prince,  not  six  days  old,  was  created  prince  of 
Wales,  duke  of  Cornwall,  and  earl  of  Chester  3 sir 
Edward  Seymour,  the  queen's  brother,  was  raised  to 
the  dignity  of  earl  of  Hertford ; sir  William  Fitzwil- 
liams,  high-admiral,  was  created  earl  of  Southamp- 
ton ; sir  William  Paulet,  lord  St.  John;  sir  John  Rus- 
sel, lord  Russel. 

Henry's  rapacity,  the  consequence  of  his  profusion, 
produced  the  most  entire  destruction  of  the  monaste 
ries ; a new  visitation  of  them  was  appointed ; and 
the  abbots  and  monks  were  induced,  in  hopes  of  bet- 
ter treatment,  to  make  a voluntary  resignation  of  their 
houses.  The  whole  revenue  of  these  establishments 
amounted  to  one  hundred  and  sixty-one  thousand  one 
hundred  pounds.  Great  murmurs  were  every  where 
excited  on  account  of  these  violent  measures ; buf 
Henry  took  an  effectual  method  of  interesting  the  no- 
bility and  gentry  in  the  success  .of  his  measures;  he 
either  made  a gift  of  the  revenues  of  convents  to  his 
favourites  and  courtiers,  or  sold  them  at  low  prices,  or 
exchanged  them  for  other  lands  on  very  disadvanta- 
geous terms.  The  court  of  Rome  saw  this  sacrile- 
gious plunder  with  extreme  indignation  ; and  Henry 
was  frequently  reproached  with  his  resemblance  to 
the  emperor  Julian. 

The  king  was  so  much  governed  by  passion,  that 
nothing  could  have  delayed  his  opposition  against 
Rome,  but  some  new  objects  of  animosity.  Though 
he  had  gradually  been  changing  the  tenets  of  that 
theological  system  in  which  he  had  been  educated/ 
yet  he  was  no  less  dogmatical  in  the  few  articles  which 
remained  to  him,  than  if  the  whole  fabric  had  been 
entire  and  unshaken.  The  point  on  which  he  chiefly 
rested  his  orthodoxy  happened  to  be  the  real  pres 
ence ; and  every  departure  from  this  principle,  h« 
held  to  be  heretical  detestable. 


HENRY  VIII. 


201 


Lambert,  a schoolmaster  in  London,  drew  up  objec 
dons  against  the  corporeal  presence  ; and  when  cited 
Dy  Cranmer  and  Latimer,  instead  of  recanting,  he 
ventured  to  appeal  to  the  king.-  Henry,  not  displeas- 
ed with  an  opportunity  of  exerting  his  supremacy,  and 
displaying  his  learning,  accepted  the  appeal.  Public 
notice  was  given,  that  he  intended  to  enter  the  lists 
with  the  schoolmaster:  scaffolds  were  erected  in 
Westminster-hall  for  the  accommodation  of  the  audi- 
ence; and  Henry  appeared  on  his  throne,  accompa- 
nied with  all  the  ensigns  of  majesty,  and  with  the  pre- 
lates and  temporal  peers  on  each  side  of  him.  The 
bishop  of  Chichester  opened  the  conference;  and  the 
king  asked  Lambert,  with  a stern  countenance,  what 
his  opinion  was  of  Christ’s  corporeal  presence  in  the 
sacrament  of  the  altar.  He  afterwards  pressed  Lam- 
bert with  arguments  drawn  from  Scripture  and  the 
schoolmen.  The  audience  applauded  the  force  of  his 
reasoning  and  the  extent  of  his  erudition : Cranmer 
seconded  his  proofs  by  some  new  topics;  Gardiner 
entered  the  lists  as  a support  to  Cranmer;  Tonsta! 
took  up  the  argument  after  Gardiner;  Stokesley 
brought  fresh  aid  to  Tonstal ; six  bishops  more  ap 
peared  successively  in  the  field  after  Stokesley ; and 
the  disputation,  if  it  deserves  the  name,  was  prolong- 
ed for  five  hours;  till  Lambert,  fatigued,  confounded, 
brow-beaten,  and  abashed,  was  at  last  reduced  to  si- 
lence. The  king  then  proposed,  as  a concluding  argu- 
ment, this  interesting  question,  whether  he  were  re- 
solved to  live  or  to  die  ? Lambert  replied,  that  he  cast 
himself  wholly  on  his  majesty’s  clemency:  the  king 
told  him,  that  he  would  be  no  protector  of  heretics; 
and,  there. ore,  if  that  were  his  final  answer,  he  must 
expect  to  be  committed  to  the  flames.  Cromwell,  as 
vicegerent,  pronounced  the  sentence  against  him. 
Lambert’s  executioners  took  care  to  make  the  suffer- 
ings of  a man  who  had  personally  opposed  the  king, 
as  cruel  as  possible  : he  was  burned  at  a slow  fire  ; and 
when  there  appeared  no  end  of  his  torments,  some  of 
the  guards,  more  merciful  than  the  rest,  lifted  him  on 
their  halberts,  and  threw  him  into  the  flames,  where 
he  was  consumed.  While  they  were  employed  in 
this  friendly  office,  he  cried  aloud  several  times,  none 
but  Christ,  none  but  Christ ; and  with  these  words  he 
expired. 


202 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Immediately  after  the  death  of  Jane  Seymour,  Hei.ry 
began  to  think  of  a new  marriage  j and  Cromwell  propo- 
sed to  him  Anne  of  Cleves,  whose  father,  the  duke  of 
that  name,  had  great  interest  among  the  Lutheran  prim 
ces.  The  marriage  was  at  length  concluded  3 and  Anne 
was  sent  over  to  England.  The  king,  however,  found 
15401  ^er  utterly  destitute  both  of  beauty  and  grace  j 
-*  swore  that  she  was  a great  Flanders  mare  j and 
declared  that  he  never  could  possibly  bear  her  any  af- 
fection. His  aversion  to  the  queen  secretly  increased 
every  day  j and  having  at  last  broken  all  restraint,  it 
prompted  him  at  once  to  seek  the  dissolution  of  a 
marriage  so  odious  to  him,  and  to  involve  his  minister 
in  ruin,  who  had  been  the  innocent  author  of  it.  The 
fall  of  Cromwell  was  hastened  by  other  causes.  The 
catholics  regarded  him  as  the  concealed  enemy  of 
their  religion  3 the  protestants,  observing  his  exterior 
concurrence  with  all  the  persecutions  exercised  against 
them,  were  inclined  to  bear  him  as  little  favour  5 and 
the  king,  who  found  that  great  clamour  had  on  all 
h mds  arisen  against  the  government,  was  not  displeas- 
ed to  throw  on  Cromwell  the  load  of  public  hatred, 
hoping  by  so  easy  a sacrifice  to  regain  the  affections  of 
his  subjects.  Another  more  powerful  cause,  howev- 
er, brought  about  an  unexpected  revolution  in  the  min- 
istry. The  king  had  fixed  his  affection  on  Catherine 
Howard,  niece  to  the  duke  of  Norfolk  ; and,  being  de- 
termined to  gratify  this  new  passion,  he  could  find  no 
other  expedient  than  a divorce  from  his  present  con- 
sort, to  raise  Catherine  to  his  bed  and  throne.  The 
duke,  who  had  long  been  in  enmity  with  the  minister, 
obtained  a commission  from  the  king  to  arrest  Crom- 
well at  the  council-table,  on  an  accusation  of  high-trea- 
son, and  to  commit  him  to  the  Tower.  Immediately 
after,  a bill  of  attainder  was  framed  against  him  3 and 
the  house  of  peers  thought  proper,  without  trial,  ex- 
amination, or  evidence,  to  condemn  to  death,  on  the 
most  frivolous  pretences,  a man  whom,  a few  da^s  be- 
fore, they  had  declared  worthy  to  be  near-general  of 
the  universe.  The  house  of  commons  passed  the  bill, 
though  not  without  some  opposition.  When  brought 
to  the  place  of  execution,  Cromwell  avoided  ail  earn- 
est protestations  of  his  innocence,  and  all  complaints 
against  the  sentence  pronounced  upon  him.  He  knew 


HENRY  VIII. 


205 


'khat  Henry  would  resent  on  his  son  those  symptoms 
of  opposition  to  his  will,  and  that  his  death  alone 
would  not  terminate  that  monarch’s  vengeance.  He 
was  a man  of  prudence,  industry,  and  abilities ; wor 
thy  of  a better  master  and  of  a better  fate.  Though 
raised  to  the  summit  of  power  from  a low  origin,  yet 
he  betrayed  no  insolence  or  contempt  towards  his  in- 
feriors j and  he  was  careful  to  remember  all  the  obli- 
gations which,  during  his  more  humble  fortune,  he 
had  owed  to  any  one  5 a circumstance  that  reflects  the 
highest  lustre  on  his  character. 

The  measures  for  divorcing  Henry  from  Anne  of 
Cleves,  were  carried  on  at  the  same  time  with  the  bill 
of  attainder  against  Cromwell.  Anne  had  formerly 
been  contracted,  by  her  father,  to  the  duke  of  Lor- 
raine j and  Henry  pleaded  this  precontract  as  a ground 
of  divorce.  The  convocation  was  satisfied  with  this 
reason,  and  solemnly  annulled  the  marriage  between 
the  king  and  queen  ; the  parliament  ratified  the  decision 
of  the  clergy  ; and  Anne,  blest  with  a happy  insen- 
sibility of  temper,  accepted  of  a settlement  of  three 
thousand  pounds  a-year,  and  gave  her  consent  to  the  di- 
vorce. 

An  alliance  contracted  by  Henry  with  the  emperor, 
and  his  marriage  with  Catherine  Howard,  which  fol- 
lowed soon  after  his  divorce  from  Anne  of  Cleves*, 
were  regarded  as  favourable  incidents  to  the  catholics  : 
and  the  subsequent  events  corresponded  to  their  ex- 
pectations. A fierce  persecution  commenced  against 
the  protestants;  but  whilst  the  king  exerted  his  vio- 
lence against  the  protestants,  he  spared  not  the  catho- 
lics, who  denied  his  supremacy;  and  hence  it  was 
said  by  a foreigner  in  England,  that  those  who  were 
against  the  pope  were  burned,  and  those  whc  were  fo* 
him  were  hanged. 

Henry  had  thought  himself  very  happy  in  his  new 
marriage ; the  agreeable  person  and  disposition  of 
Catherine  had  entirely  captivated  his  affections;  and 
he  made  no  secret  of  his  devoted  attachment  to  her 
But  the  queen’s  conduct  very  little  merited  this  ten 
derness:  one  Lascelles  brought  intelligence  of  her 
dissolute  life  to  Cranmer;  and  told  him  that  Derham 
and  Mannoc,  both  of  them  servants  to  the  old  duchess 
rf  Norfolk,  had  been  admitted  to  her  bed  Three 


. .-'W- 


204 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


maids  of  the  family  were  admitted  into  her  secrets 
and  some  of  them  had  even  passed  the  night  in  bed 
with  her  and  her  lovers.  The  queen  being  questioned, 
denied  her  guilt  ; but  when  informed  that  a full  dis- 
covery was  made,  she  confessed  that  she  had  been 
criminal  before  marriage  ; and  only  insisted  that  she 
had  never  been  false  to  the  king's  bed.  But  as  there 
was  evidence  that  one  Colepepper  had  passed  the  night 
with  her  alone  since  her  marriage  ; and  as  it  appeared 
that  she  had  taken  Derham,  her  old  paramour,  into  her 
service,  she  seemed  to  deserve  little  credit  in  this  as- 
severation $ and  the  king,  besides,  was  not  of  a humour 
to  make  an}  difference  between  these  degrees  of 
guilt. 

Henry  convoked  a parliament,  the  usual  instrument 
of  his  tyranny  3 and  the  two  houses,  having  received 
the  queen’s  confession,  voted  a bill  of  attainder  for 
treason  against  the  queen,  and  the  viscountess  Roche- 
ford,  who  had  conducted  her  secret  amours  j and  in 
this  bill  Colepepper  and  Derham  were  also  compre- 
hended. At  the  same  time,  they  passed  a bill  of  at- 
tainder for  misprision  of  treason  against  the  old  duch- 
ess of  Norfolk,  Catherine’s  grandmother  3 her  uncle/ 
lord  William  Howard,  and  his  lady,  together  with  the 
countess  of  Bridgewater,  and  nine  persons  more  3 
because  they  knew  the  queen’s  vicious  course  of  life 
before  her  marriage,  and  had  concealed  it.  Henry 
himself  seems  to  have  been  sensible  of  the  cruelty  of 
this  proceeding:  for  he  pardoned  the  duchess  of  Nor- 
folk, and  most  of  the  others  condemned  for  misprision 
of  treason.  However,  to  secure  himself  for  the  future, 
as  well  as  his  successors,  from  this  fatal  accident,  he 
engaged  the  parliament  to  pass  a law,’ that  if  the  king 
married  any  woman  who  had  been  incontinent,  taking 
her  for  a true  maid,  she  should  be  guilty  of  treason 
if  she  did  not  previously  reveal  her  guilt  to  him.  The 
people  made  merry  with  this  singular  enactment,  and 
said,  that  the  king  must  henceforth  look  out  for  a wid- 
ow 3 for  no  reputed  maid  would  ever  bf  persuaded  to 
incur  the  penalty  of  the  statute.  After  this,  the 
queen  was  beheaded  on  Tower-hill,  together  with  la- 
dy P*.ocheford.  They  behaved  in  a manner  suitable  to 
their  dissolute  life  3 and  as  lady  Rocheford  was  known 
to  be  the  chief  instrument  in  bringing  Anne  Bole)  n to 
her  untimely  end,  she  died  unnitied 


HENRY  VIII. 


£05 


James,  king  of  the  Scots,  having  incurred  the  re- 
sentment of  Henry,  a manifesto  soon  paved  the  way 
to  hostilities  3 and  the  duke  of  Norfolk,  at  the  head  of 
twenty  thousand  men,  passed  the  Tweed  af  Berwick, 
and  marched  along  the  banks  of  the  river  as  far  as 
Kelso 3 but  on  the  approach  of  James,  with  thirty 
thousand  men,  the  English  repassed  the  river,  and 
retreated  into  their  own  country.  The  King  of  Scots, 
inflamed  with  a desire.of  military  glory,  and  of  revenge 
on  hiS  invaders,  gave  the  signal  for  pursuing  them,  and 
carrying  the  war  into  England  3 but  his  nobility,  who 
were  in  general  disaffected  on  account  of  the  prefer- 
ence which  he  had  given  to  the  clergy,  opposed  this 
resolution,  and  refused  to  attend  him  in  his  projected 
enterprise.  Enraged  at  this  mutiny,  he  reproached 
them  with  cowardice,  and  threatened  vengeance  5 but 
he  sent  ten  thousand  jnen  to  the  western  borders,  who 
entered  England  at  Solway  Frith  3 and  he  himself  fol- 
lowed them  at  a small  distance.  This  army,  however, 
was  ready  to  disband,  when  a small  body  of  English 
appeared,  not  exceeding  five  hundred  men,  under  the 
command  of  Dacres  and  Musgrave.  A panic  seized 
the  Scots,  who  immediately  took  to  flight,  and  were 
pursued  by  the  enemy.  Few  were  killed  in  this  rout, 
but  a great  many  were  taken  prisoners,  and  some  of 
tne  principal  nobility,  who  were  all  sent  to  London. 
James,  being' naturally  of  a melancholic  disposition,  as 
well  as  endowed  with  a high  spirit,  lost  all  command 
of  his  temper  on  this  dismal  occasion.  Rage  against 
his  nobility,  who  he  believed  had  betrayed  him 3 
shame  for  a defeat  by  such  unequal  numbers  3 regret 
for  the  oast,  fear  of  the  future  3 all  these  passions  so 
wrought  upon  him,  that  he  would  admit  of  no  consola- 
tion, but  abandoned  himself  wholly  to  despair.  His 
body  was  wasted  by  sympathy  with  his  anxious  mind  j 
and  even  his  life  began  to  be  thought  in  danger.  He 
had  no  issue  living,  and  hearing  that  his  queen  was 
safely  delivered,  he  asked  whether  she  had  brought 
him  a male  or  a female  child?  Being  told  the  latter, 
he  turned  himself  in  his  bed:  “The  crown  came  with 
a woman/'  said  he,  “ and  it  will  go  with  one  : many 
* miseries  await  this  poor  kingdom  : Henry  will 
make  it  his  own,  either  by  force  of  arms  or  by 
marriage.”  A few  days  after,  he  expired,  in  the  flow 
er  of  his  age. 


/ 


20£  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

Henry  was  no  sooner  informed  of  his  victor) , and 
of  the  death  of  his  nephew,  than  he  projected  the 
scheme  of  uniting.  Scotland  to  his  own  dominions,  by 
marrying  his  son  Edward  to  the  heiress  of  that  king- 
dom. The  Scottish  nobles,  who  were  his  prisoners, 
readily  assented  to  the  proposal  3 and  after  deliver 
ing  hostages  for  their  return,  in  case  the  intended  nup- 
tials should  not  be  completed,  they  were  allowed  to 
return  to  Scotland.  A negotiation  was  commenced 
with  sir  Ralph  Sadler,  the  English  ambassador,  for  the 
marriage  of  the  infant  queen  with  the  prince  of  Wales  3 
and  equitable  conditions  were  quickly  agreed  on  ; but 
Beaton,  the  cardinal  priina-te,  who  acted  as  minister 
to  James,  was  able,  by  his  intrigues,  to  confound  this 
measure.  He  represented  the  union  with  England  as 
the  certain  ruin  of  the  ancient  religion  3 and  as  soon 
as  he  found  a war  with  that  kingiom  unavoidable,  he 
immediately  applied  to  France  for  assistance  during 
the  present  distresses  of  the  Scottish  nation.  The  in- 
fluence of  the  French  in  Scotland  excited  the  resent- 
ment of  Henry,  who  formed  a close  league  with  the 
emperor;  and  war  was  declared  against  Francis  by  the 
allies. 

In  order  to  obtain  supplies  for  his  projected  war 
with  France,  Henry  summoned  a new  session  of  par- 
liament, which  granted  him  a subsidy.  About  the 
15401  same  time,  the  king  married  Catherine  Pir, 
widow  of  Nevil,  lord  Latimer,  a woman  of  vir 
tue,  and  somewhat  inclined  to  the  reformed  doctrines. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  king's  league  with  the  empe- 
ror seemed  a circumstance  no  less  favourable  to  the 
catholic  party  3 and  thus  matters  remained  still  nearly 
balanced  between  the  factions. 

While  the  winter  season  restrained  Henry  from  mil- 
itary operations,  he  summoned  a new  parliament, 
which,  after  declaring  the  prince  of  Wales,  or  any  of 
the  king's  male  issue,  first  heirs  to  the  crown,  restor- 
ed the  two  princesses,  Mary  and  Elizabeth,  to  their 
right  of  succession.  Such,  however,  was  the  caprice 
of  the  king,  that  while  he  opened  the  way  lor  these 
princesses  to  ascend  the  throne,  he  would  n >t  allow 
the  acts  to  be  reversed  which  declared  them  illegiti- 
mate ! 

Henry  sent  a fleet  and  army  to  invade  Scotland 


I 


HENRY  VIII.  207 

I he  tioops  were  disembarked  near  Leith  ; and,  after 
dispersing  a small  body  which  opposed  them,  they 
took  that  town  without  resistance,  and  then  marched 
to  Edinburgh,  the  gates  of  which  were  soon  beaten 
down  $ and  the  English  first  pillaged,  and  then  set  fire 
to  the  city.  The  earl  of  Arran,  who  was  regent,  and 
Beaton  the  cardinal,  were  not  prepared  to  oppose  so 
great  a force  ; and  they  fled  to  Stirling.  The  English 
marched  eastward,  laid  waste  the  whole  country, 
burned  and  destroyed  Haddington  and  Dunbar,  and 
then  retreated  into  England. 

This  incursion  inflamed,  without  subduing  the  spirit 
of  the  Scots  ) but  Henry  recalled  his  troops,  in  conse- 
‘quence  of  his  treaty  with  the  emperor,  by  which  those 
two  princes  had  agreed  to  invade  France  with  above 
one  hundred  thousand  men.  The  city  of  Boulogne 
was  treacherously  surrendered  to  Henry  ; but  the  em- 
peror, after  taking  several  places,  concluded  a peace 
with  Francis  at  Crepy,  where  no  mention  was  made 
of  England  j and  Henry,  finding  himself  obliged  to 
raise  the  siege  of  Montreuil,  returned  into  England. 
This  campaign  served  to  the  populace  as  matter  of 
great  triumph  ; but  all  men  of  sense  concluded  that 
the  king  had,  as  in  all  his  former  military  enterprises, 
obtained,  at  a great  expense,  an  unimportant  acquisi- 
tion. 

The  war  with  Scotland,  meanwhile,  was  conducted 
1 feebly,  and  with  various  success  *,  and  the  war 
* with  France  was  not  distinguished  by  any  mem- 
orable event.  The  great  expense  of  these  two  wars 
maintained  by  Henry,  obliged  him  to  summon  a new 
parliament.  The  commons  granted  him  a subsidy; 
payable  in  two  years,  of  two  shillings  a pound  on  land  ; 
the  spirituality  voted  him  six  shillings  a pound.  But 
the  parliament,  apprehensive  lest  more  demands 
should  be  made  upon  them,  endeavoured  to  save  them- 
selves by  a very  extraordinary  liberality  of  other  peo- 
ple's property.  By  one  vote  they  bestowed  on  the 
king  all  the  revenues  of  the  universities,  as  well  as  of 
the  ebauntries,  free  chapels,  and  hospitals.  Henry 
was  pleased  with  this  concession,  as  it  increased  his 
power  ; but  he  had  no  intention  to  rob  learning  of  all 
ncr  endowments  ; and  he  soon  took  care  to  inform  the 
universities  that  he  meant  not  to  touch  their  revenues 


203 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND 


Thus  tuese  ancient  and  celebrated  establishments  owe 
their  existence  to  the  generosity  of  the  king,  not  to 
the  protection  of  this  servile  parliament. 

Henry  employed  in  military  preparations  the  money 
154fl  oranted  % parliament  5 and  he  sent  over  the 
■*  earl  of  Hertford  and  lord  Lisle,  the  admiral,  to 
Calais,  with  a body  of  nine  thousand  men,  two-thirds 
of  which  consisted  of  foreigners.  Some  skirmishes 
of  small  moment  ensued  with  the  French  : but  as  no 
hopes  of  any  considerable  progress  could  be  entertain- 
ed by  either  party,  both  came  to  an  accommodation. 
Commissioners  met  at  Campe,  a small  place  between 
Ardres  and  Guisnes  ; and  it  was  agreed,  that  Henry 
should  retain  Boulogne  during  eight  years,  or  till  the 
former  debt  due  by  Fraqcis  should  be  paid.  This  debt 
was  settled  at  two  millions  of  livres,  besides  a claim 
of  five  hundred  thousand  livres,  which  was  afterwards 
to  be  adjusted.  Francis  took  care  to  comprehend 
Scotland  in  the  treaty.  Thus  all  that  Henry  obtained 
by  a war  which  cost  him  above  one  million  three 
hundred  and  forty  thousand  pounds  sterling,  was  a bad 
and  a chargeable  security  for  a debt  which  was  not  a 
third  of  the  value. 

The  king  had  now  leisure  to  attend  to  domestic  af- 
fairs. He  was  prevailed  on  to  permit  the  Litany  to  be 
celebrated  in  the  vulgar  tongue  ; and  Cranmer  taking 
advantage  of  Gardiner's  absence  on  an  embassy  to  the 
emperor,  attempted  to  draw  him  into  farther  innova- 
tions : but  Gardiner  wrote  to  Henry,  and  retarded  for 
some  time  the  projects  of  Cranmer.  The  catholics 
took  hold  of  the  king  by  his  passion  for  orthodoxy  ; 
and  they  represented  to  him,  that  if  his  laudable  zeal 
for  enforcing  the  truth  met  with  no  better  success,  it 
was  altogether  owing  to  the  primate,  whose  example 
and  encouragement  were,  in  reality,  the  secret  sup- 
ports of  heresy.  Henry  seeing  the  point  at  which 
they  aimed,  feigned  a compliance,  and  desired  the 
council  to  make  inquiry  into  Cranmer’s  conduct.  Ev- 
ery body  now  considered  the  primate  as  lost;  and 
when  admitted  into  the  council-chamber,  he  was  told 
that  they  had  determined  to  send  him  to  the  Tower. 
Cranmer  said,  that  he  appealed  to  the  king  himself: 
and  finding  his  appeal  disregarded,  he  producedaring, 
which  Henry  had  given  him  as  a pledge  of  favour  and 


HENRY  VIII. 


209 

protection.  The  council  were  confounded  ; and  when 
they  came  before  the  king,  he  reproved  them  in  the 
severest  terms;  and  told  them  that  he  was  well  ac- 
quainted with  Cranmer’s  merit,  as  well  as  with  their 
malignity  and  envy. 

But  though  Henry’s  partial  favour  for  Cranmer  ren- 
-dered  fruitless  all  accusations  against  him,  his  pride 
and  peevishness,  irritated  by  his  declining  state  of 
health,  induced  him  to  punish  with  severity  every  oth- 
er person  who  differed  from  him  in  opinion.  Ann 
Ascue,  a young  lady  of  merit  as  v/311  as  beauty,  who 
was  connected  with  the  queen  herself,  was  accused 
of  dogmatizing  on  the  rea'  presence  3 and,  after  being 
subjected  to  the  torture  in  the  most  barbarous  man- 
ner, she  was  sentenced  to  be  burned  alive,  with  four 
others  condemned  for  the  same  crime.  When  they 
were  all  tied  to  the  stake,  they  refused  the  pardon  that 
was  offered  on  condition  of  recantation  3 and  they  saw 
with  tranquillity  the  executioner  kindle  the  flames 
that  were  to  consume  them. 

Though  the  secrecy  and  fidelity  of  Ann  Ascue  sav- 
ed the  queen  from  this  peril,  yet  that  princess  soon  af- 
ter fell  into  a new  danger,  from  which  she  narrowly 
escaped.  Henry’s  favourite  topic  of  conversation  was 
theology  ; and  Catherine,  whose  good  sense  enabled 
her  to  discourse  on  any  subject,  was  frequently  engag- 
ed in  the  argument 3 and,  being  secretly  inclined  to 
the  principles  of  the  reformers,  she  unwarily  betrayed 
too  much  of  her  mind  on  these  occasions.  Henry, 
highly  provoked  that  she  should  presume  to  differ  from 
him,  complained  of  her  obstinacy  to  Gardiner,  who 
gladly  laid  hold  of  the  opportunity  to  inflame  the  quar- 
rel 3 and  the  king,  hurried  on  by  his  own  impetuous 
temper,  and  encouraged  by  his  bigoted  counsellors, 
went  so  far  as  to  order  articles  of  impeachment  to  be 
drawn  up  against  his  consort.  By  some  means  this 
important  paper  fell  into  the  hands  of  one  of  the 
queen’s  friends,  who  immediately  carried  the  intelli- 
gence to  her.  Sensible  of  the  extreme  danger  to 
which  she  was  exposed,  she  paid  her  usual  visit  to  the 
king,  who  entered  on  the  subject  most  familiar  to 
him,  and  who  seemed  to  challenge  her  to  an  argument 
in  divinity.  She  gently  declined  the  conversation, 

VOL.  I.  14 


/ 


210 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


and  remarked,  that  such  profound  speculations  were 
Ml-suited  to  the  natural  imbecility  of  her  sex.  Wo- 
men, she  said,  by  their  creation,  were  made  subject  to 
men.  It  belonged  to  the  husband  to  choose  principles 
for  his  wife  ; the  wife’s  duty  was,  in  all  cases,  to 
adopt  implicitly  the  sentiments  of  her  husband:  and 
as  to  herself,  it  was  doubly  her  duty,  being  blest  with 
a husband  who  was  qualified  by  his  judgment  and 
learning  to  choose  principles  not  only  for  his  own 
family,  but  for  the  most  wise  and  knowing  of  every 
nation.  “Not  so,  Ly  St.  Mary,”  replied  the  king; 
“ you  are  now  become  a doctor,  Kate  ; and  better 
fitted  to  give  than  receive  instructions.”  She  meekly 
replied,  that  she  was  sensible  how  little  she  was  enti- 
tled to  these  praises  ; that  though  she  usually  declin- 
ed not  any  conversation,  however  sublime,  when  pro 
posed  by  his  majesty,  she  well  knew  that  her  concep- 
tions could  serve  to  no  other  purpose  than  to  give  him 
a little  momentary  amusement;  that  she  found  the 
conversation  apt  to  languish,  when  not  revived  by 
some  opposition,  and  she  had  ventured  sometimes  U 
feign  a contrariety  of  sentiments,  in  order  to  give  him 
the  pleasure  of  refuting  her  ; and  that  she  also  pur- 
posed, by  this  innocent  artifice,  to  engage  him  on  to- 
pics whence  she  had  observed,  by  frequent  experi- 
ence, that  she  reaped  profit  and  instruction.  “ And  is 
it  so,  sweetheart?”  replied  the  king;  “then  weare 
perfect  friends  again.”  He  embraced  her  with  great 
affection,  and  sent  her  away  with  assurances  of  his  pro- 
tection and  kindness. 

The  reputation  which  the  duke  of  Norfolk  had  ac- 
quired in  war,  his  high  rank,  and  his  influence  as  the 
head  of  the  catholic  party,  rendered  that  nobleman 
obnoxious  to  Henry,  who  foresaw  danger,  during  his 
son’s  minority,  from  the  attempts  of  so  potent  a sub- 
ject. His  son;  the  earl  of  Surrey,  had  distinguished 
himself  by  every  accomplishment  which  became  a 
scholar,  a courtier,  and  a soldier;  but  having  declined 
the  hand  of  the  daughter  of  the  earl  of  Hertford,  and 
even  waived  every  other  proposal  of  marriage,  Henry 
imagined  that  he  entertained  the  design  of  espousing 
the  lady  Mary.  Actuated  by  those  suspicions,  the 
king  gave  private  orders  to  arrest  Norfolk  and  Surrey 
who,  on  the  same  day,  were  confined  in  the  Tower 


HENRY  VIII. 


21 1 


Surrey  was  accused  of  entertaining  in  his  family  some 
Italians,  who  were  suspected  to  be  spies,  of  corres* 
ponding  with  cardinal  Pole,  and  of  quartering  on  his 
escutcheon  the  arms  of  Edward  the  Confessor,  a prac- 
tice which  had  been  justified  by  the  authority  of  the 
heralds.  Notwithstanding  his  eloquent  and  spirited 
defence,  a venal  jury  condemned  him  for  high-treason  5 
• zAr-,  and  their  sentence  was  soon  after  executed  up- 
0 J on  him.  The  innocence  of  Norfolk  was,  if 
possible,  still  more  apparent  than  that  of  his  son,  yel 
the  house  of  peers,  without  trial  or  evidence,  passed  a 
bill  of  attainder  against  him,  and  sent  it  down  to  the 
commons.  The  king  was  now  approaching  fast  to- 
wards his  end,  and  fearing  lest  Norfolk  should  escape 
him,  he  sent  a message  to  the  commons  to  expedite 
the  bill.  The  obsequious  commons  obeyed  his  direc- 
tions ; and  the  king,  having  aifixed  the  royal  assent  to 
the  bill  by  commissioners,  issued  orders  for  the  exe- 
cution of  Norfolk  on  the  morning  of  the  twenty-ninth 
of  January.  But  news  being  carried  to  the  Tower 
that  the  king  himself  had  expired  the  preceding  night, 
the  lieutenant  deferred  obeying  the  warrant;  and  it 
was  not  thought  advisable  by  the  council  to  begin  a 
new  reign  with  the  death  of  the  greatest  nobleman  in 
the  kingdom,  who  had  been  condemned  by  a sentence 
so  unjust  and  tyrannical. 

The  king’s  health  had  long  been  in  a declining 
state  ; but  for  several  days,  all  those  near  him  plainly 
saw  his  end  approaching,  yet  no  one  durst  inform  him 
of  his  condition.  At  last  sir  Anthony  Denny  ventured 
to  disclose  to  him  the  fatal  secret,  and  exhorted  him 
to  prepare  for  the  event.  He  expressed  his  resigna- 
tion, and  desired  that  Cranmer  might  be  sent  for;  but 
before  the  prelate  arrived  he  was  speechless,  though 
he  still  seemed  to  retain  his  senses.  Cranmer  desired 
him  to  give  some  sign  of  his  dying  in  the  faith  of 
Christ:  he  squeezed  the  prelate’s  hand,  and  immedi- 
ately expired,  after  a reign  of  thirty-seven  years  and 
nine  months ; and  in  the  fifty-sixth  year  of  his  age. 

The  king  had  made  his  will  near  a month  before  his 
demise,  in  which  he  confirmed  the  destination  of  par- 
liament, by  leaving  the  crown  first  to  prince  Edward, 
then  to  the  lady  Mary,  next  to  lady  Elizabeth.  Tha 
two  princesses  he  obliged,  under  the  penalty  of  for 


m 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


feiting  their  title  to  the  crown,  not  to  marry  without 
consent  of  the  council,  which  he  appointed  for  the 
government  of  his  minor  son. 

A catalogue  of  this  prince’s  vices  would  compre 
hend  many  of  the  worst  qualities  incidental  to  Human 
nature  ; violence,  cruelty,  profusion,  rapacity,  injus- 
tice, obstinacy,  arrogance,  bigotry,  and  presumption; 
yet,  he  was  sincere,  open,  gallant,  liberal,  and  capable, 
at  least  of  a temporary  friendship  and  attachment. 
Notwithstanding  his  cruelty  and  extortion,  he  seems 
to  have  possessed  to  the  last,  in  some  degree,  the  love 
and  affection  of  his  people.  Indeed,  his  exterior  qual- 
ities were  advantageous,  and  fit  to  captivate  the  mul- 
titude ; and  his  magnificence  and  personal  bravery 
rendered  him  illustrious  in  vulgar  eyes. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

The  Reigns  of  Edward  VI.  and  Mary 

Edward,  at  his  accession,  was  little  more  than 
nine  years  of  age  ; and  as  his  majority  was  fixed  at  the 
15471  comP*eti°n  °fhis  eighteenth  year,  his  father  had 
J appointed  sixteen  executors,  to  whom,  during 
the  minority,  he  intrusted  the  government  of  the 
kingdom.  Among  these  were  Cranmer,  archbishop  of 
Canterbury;  lord  Wriothesley,  chancellor;  lord  St. 
John,  great  master;  lord  Russel,  privy-seal;  the  earl 
of  Hertford,  chamberlain  ; viscount  Lisle,  admiral ; 
Tonstal,  bishop  of  Durham  ; with  other  officers  of 
state,  and  two  or  three  private  persons.  To  these  ex- 
ecutors, with  whom  was  intrusted  the  regal  authority, 
were  associated  twelve  counsellors,  who  possessed  no 
immediate  power,  and  could  only  assist  with  their  ad- 
vice when  any  affair  was  laid  before  them. 

No  sooner  were  the  executors  and  counsellors  met, 
than  it  was  suggested  that  the  government  would  lose 
its  dignity,  for  want  of  some  head  to  represent  tire 
royal  majesty.  Though  this  was  a departure  from  the 
late  king’s  will,  yet  the  measure  was  carried  ; and  the 
choice  fell  of  course  on  the  earl  of  Hertford  the 
king’s  maternal  uncle.  In  their  next  measure,  tkev 


EDWARD  VI. 


213 


showed  a greater  deference  to  Henry  s intentions. 
Hertford  was  created  duke  of  Somerset,  mareschal, 
and  lord  treasurer;  Wriothesley,  earl  of  Soatnamp- 
ton  ; the  earl  of  Essex,  marquis  of  Northampton  ; vis 
count  Lisle,  earl  of  Warwick;  sir  Thomas  Seymour, 
lord  Seymour  of  Sudley,  and  admiral;  and  sir  Rich- 
ard Rich,  sir  William  Willoughby,  and  sir  Edward 
Sheffield,  were  raised  to  the  dignity  of  barons. 

The  earl  of  Southampton  had  always  been  engaged 
in  an  opposite  party  to  Somerset ; and  the  latter  taking 
advantage  of  some  illegal  proceedings  of  which  the 
former  was  guilty,  the  council  declared  that  South- 
ampton had  forfeited  the  great  seal,  that  a fine  should 
be  imposed  upon  him,  and  that  he  should  be  confined 
to  his  own  house  during  pleasure.  The  removal  of 
Southampton,  however,  did  not  satisfy  the  ambition 
of  Somerset.  He  procured  a patent  from  the  young 
king,  by  which  he  entirely  overturned  the  will  of 
Henry  VIII.,  and  produced  a total  revolution  in  the  gov- 
ernment. He  named  himself  protector,  with  full  regal 
power,  and  appointed  a council  consisting  of  all  the 
former  counsellors,  and  all  the  executors,  except 
Southampton,  reserving  a power  of  naming  any  other 
counsellors  at  pleasure,  and  of  consulti  with  such 
only  as  he  thought  proper.  The  protector  and  his 
council  were  likewise  empowered  to  act  at  discretion, 
and  to  execute  whatever  they  deemed  for  the  public 
service,  without  incurring  any  penalty  or  forfeiture 
whatsoever. 

Somerset  had  long  been  regarded  as  a secret  parti- 
san of  the  reformers;  and  he  took  care  that  all  per- 
sons intrusted  with  the  king’s  education  should  be 
attached  to  the  same  principles.  In  his  schemes  for 
advancing  the  reformation,  he  had  always  recourse  to 
the  counsels  of  Cranmer,  who,  being  a man  of  modera- 
tion and  prudence,  was  averse  to  all  violent  changes. 
A visitation  was  made  of  all  the  dioceses  in  England 
by  a mixture  of  clergy  and  laity  ; and  the  chief  purport 
of  their  instructions  was,  besides  correcting  immoral- 
ities and  irregularities  in  the  clergy,  to  abolish  the 
ancient  superstitions,  and  to  bring  the  discipline  and 
worship  somewhat  nearer  the  practice  of  the  reformed 
churches.  The  person  that  opposed,  with  greatest 
authority,  these  advances  towards  reformation  waa 


214 


HISTORY  OF  ENGL  D. 


Gardiner,  bishop  of  Worcester,  who,  though  he  had 
not  obtained  arplace  in  the  council  of  regency,  on  ac- 
count of  late  disgusts  which  he  had  given  to  Henry, 
was  entitled  by  his  age,  experience,  and  capacity,  to 
the  highest  trust  and  confidence  of  his  party.  He 
represented  the  perils  of  perpetual  innovations,  and 
the  necessity  of  adhering  to  some  system.  For  this 
freedom  he  was  sent  to  the  Fleet-prison,  and  treated 
with  some  severity. 

In  Scotland,  one  Wishart,  a gentleman  by  birth,  and 
celebrated  for  the  purity  of  his  morals,  and  his  exten- 
sive 'earning,  employed  himself  with  great  success  in 
preaching  against  the  ancient  superstitions.  Beaton, 
the  cardinal  primate,  resolving  to  strike  terror  into  all 
other  innovators,  by  the  punishment  of  so  distinguish- 
ed a preacher,  caused  him  to  be  arrested.  The  unhap- 
py man  was  condemned  to  the  flames  for  heresy,  and 
suffered  with  the  usual  patience.  The  disciples  of 
this  martyr,  enraged  at  the  cruel  execution,  formed  3 
conspiracy  against  the  cardinal,  who  was  assassinated 
soon  after  the  death  of  Wishart.  The  assassins,  being 
reinforced  by  their  friends,  to  the  number  of  a hun- 
dred and  forty  persons,  prepared  themselves  for  the 
defence  of  the  cardinal’s  palace,  and  craved  the  as- 
sistance of  Henry,  who  promised  to  take  them  under 
his  protection. 

To  fulfil  this  promise,  and  to  execute  the  project 
which  the  late  king  had  recommended  with  his  dying 
breath,  the  protector  levied  an  army  of  eighteen  thou- 
sand men,  with  which  he  invaded  Scotland.  The 
Scottish  army,  double  in  number  to  that  of  the  Eng- 
lish, posted  themselves  on  advantageous  ground, 
guarded  by  the  banks  of  the  Eske,  about  four  miles 
from  Edinburgh.  Having  reconnoitred  their  camp, 
Somerset  found  it  difficult  to  make  an  attempt  upon 
it  with  any  probability  of  success.  He  wrote,  there- 
fore, to  Arran,  the  governor  of  Scotland,  and  offered 
to  evacuate  the  kingdom,  provided  the  Scots  would 
stipulate  not  to  contract  the  queen  to  any  foreign  prince, 
but  to  detain  her  at  home  till  she  reached  the  age  of 
choosing  a husband  for  herself.  The  Scots  rejected 
the  demand,  and  quitting  their  camp,  advanced  int<? 
the  plain,  with  the  hope  of  cutting  off*  the  retreat  of 
the  English.  Somerset,  pleased  to  behold  this  raov** 


EDWARD  VI. 


ment  of  the  Scottish  army,  ranged  his  troops  in  order 
of  battle.  The  Scots  were  defeated  with  the  loss  of 
about  ten  thousand  slain,  and  fifteen  hundred  taken 
prisoners}  while  not  more  than  two  hundred  of  the 
English  fell  in  this  engagement.  This  action  was  call- 
ed the  battle  of  Dinkey,  from  a nobleman’s  seat  of  that 
name  in  the  neighbourhood. 

Somerset  was  desirous  of  returning  to  England, 
where  he  heard  that  some  counsellors,  and  even  his 
own  brother,  the  admiral,  were  carrying  on  cabals 
against  his  authority.  On  his  arrival,  he  summoned  a 
parliament,  in  which  all  laws  were  repealed  that  ex- 
tended the  crime  of  treason  beyond  the  statute  of  the 
15481  twe«Iy of  Edward  111.;  all  laws  enacted 
-*  during  the  late  reign  extending  the  crime  of 
felony  ; all  the  former  laws  against  Lollardy  or  heresy, 
together  with  the  statute  of  the  six  articles.  By  these 
and  other  appeals,  some  dawn,  both  of  civil  and  reli- 
gious liberty,  began  to  appear  to  the  people.  Heresy, 
however,  was  stiil  a capital  crime  by  the  common  law, 
and  was  subjected  to  the  penalty  of  burning.  Only 
there  remained  no  precise  standard  by  which  that 
crime  could  be  defined  or  determined  ; a circumstance 
which  might  either  be  advantageous  or  hurtful  to  pub- 
lic security,  according  to  the  disposition  of  the  judges. 

The  greater  the  progress  that  was  made  towards  a 
reformation  in  England,  the  further  did  the  protector 
find  himself  from  all  prospect  of  completing  the  union 
with  Scotland;  and  the  queen-dowager,  as  well  as  the 
clergy,  became  the  more  averse  to  all  alliance  with  a 
nation  which  had  so  far  departed  from  ancient  princi- 
ples. The  hostile  attempts,  too,  which  the  late  king 
and  the  protector  had  made  against  Scotland,  had  serv- 
ed only  to  inspire  the  Scottish  people  with  the  utmost 
aversion  to  an  union.  The  queen-dowager,  finding 
fhese  sentiments  prevail,  called  a parliament,  in  which 
it  was  proposed  that  the  young  queen  should  be  sent 
to  France.  Accordingly,  the  governor  received  a pen- 
sion of  twelve  thousand  livres  a year,  and"  the  title  of 
duke  of  Chatelrault;  and  Mary  embarked  onboard 
some  French  vessels,  arrived  at  Brest,  whence  she 
wTas  conducted  to  Paris,  and  soon  after  betrothed  to 
the  dauphin. 

The  mortification  of  Somerset,  on  the  failure  of  hiv 


21b  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

project  for  an  union  with  Scotland,  was  increased  by 
the  intrigues  of  his  own  family.  His  brother,  lord 
Seymour,  a man  of  insatiable  ambition  and  great  abili- 
ties, by  his  flattery  and  address,  had  so  insinuated  him- 
self into  the  good  graces  of  the  queen-dowager,  that, 
forgetting  her  usual  prudence  and  decency,  she  mar- 
ried him  so  immediately  upon  the  demise  of  the  late 
king,  that  had  she  soon  proved  pregnant,  it  might  have 
been  doubtful  to  which  husband  the  child  belonged. 
The  credit  and  riches  of  this  alliance  supported  the 
ambition  of  the  admiral  3 but  gave  umbrage  to  the 
duchess  of  Somerset,  who,  uneasy  that  the  younger 
•brother’s  wife  should  have  the  precedency,  employed 
all  her  influence  with  her  husband,  first  to  create,  then 
to  widen,  the  breach  between  the  two  brothers. 

The  first  attempt  of  the  admiral  was  a direct  attack 
upon  his  brother’s  authority,  by  procuring  from  the 
young  king  a letter  to  the  parliament,  desiring  that 
Seymour  might  be  appointed  his  governor 3 but,  find- 
ing himself  prevented  in  his  design  by  the  parliament, 
he  was  obliged  to  submit,  and  to  desire  a reconcilia- 
tion with  his  brother.  His  ambition,  however,  could 
not  be  easily  checked.  His  spouse,  the  queen-dowa- 
ger, died  in  child-bed 3 but  so  far  from  regarding  this 
event  as  an  obstacle  to  his  aspiring  views,  he  made 
his  addresses  to  the  lady  Elizabeth  3 and  as  Henry  had 
excluded  his  daughters  from  all  hopes  of  succession, 
if*  they  married  without  the  consent  of  his  executors, 
which  Seymour  could  never,  hope  to  obtain,  he  is  sup- 
posed to  have  aimed  at  effecting  his  purpose  by  the 
most  criminal  means.  He  had  brought  over  to  his  par- 
ty many  of  the  principal  nobility  3 and  it  was  suppos- 
ed, that  he  could  on  occasion  muster  an  army  of  ten 
thousand  men,  composed  of  his  servants,  tenants,  and 
retainers.  He  had  already  provided  arms  for  their 
use  3 and  having  engaged  in  his  interests  sir  John 
Sharington,  a corrupt  man,  master  of  the  mint  at  Bris- 
tol, he  flattered  himself  that  money  would  not  be 
wanting.  Somerset  was  well  apprized  of  all  these 
alarming  circumstances,  and  endeavoured  by  the  most 
friendly  expedients,  by  intreaty,  reason,  and  even  by 
heaping  new  favours  upon  his  brother,  to  make  him 
desist  from  his  dangerous  counsels  5 hut  finding  all 
endeavours  ineffectual,  he  was  easily  persuaded,  by 


EDWARD  VL 


£17 


the  earl  of  Warwick,  to  deprive  him  of  the  office  of 
admiral,  and  to  commit  him  to  the  Tower. 

Some  of  his  accomplices  were  also  taken  into  cus- 
tody ; and  three  privy  counsellors  being  sent  to  exam- 
ine them,  made  a report  that  they  had  met  with  very 
full  and  important  discoveries.  Yet  still  the  protec- 
tor suspended  the  blow,  and  showed  a reluctance  to 
ruin  his  brother;  but  as  Seymour  made  no  other  an- 
swer to  all  his  friendly  offers,  than  menaces  and  defi- 
ances, he  ordered  a charge  to  be  drawn  up  against 
him,  consisting  of  thirty-three  articles,  and  the  whole 
to  be  laid  before  the  privy  council.  It  is  pretended, 
that  every  particular  was  so  incontestibly  proved,  both 
by  witnesses  and  his  own  hand-writing,  that  there  was 
no  room  for  doubt;  yet  did  the  council  think  proper 
to  go  in  a body  to  the  Tower,  in  order  more  fully  to 
examine  the  prisoner.  We  shall  indeed  conclude,  if 
we  carefully  examine  the  charge,  that  many  of  the  ar- 
ticles were  general,  and  scarcely  capable  of  any  proof; 
many  of  them,  if  true,  susceptible  of  a more  favoura- 
ble interpretation;  and  that  though,  on  the  whole, 
Seymour  appears  to  have  been  a dangerous  subject,  he 
had  not  advanced  far  in  those  treasonable  projects  im- 
puted to  him. 

But  the  administration  had  at  that  time,  an  easy  in- 
strument of  vengeance  in  the  parliament;  and  a ses- 
sion being  held,  Seymour  was  proceeded  against  by 
bill  of  attainder.  The  bill  was  passed  in  the  upper 
house  without  undergoing  any  objections;  but  in  the 
House  of  Commons,  some  members  objected  against 
the  whole  method  of  proceeding  by  bill  of  attainder 
passed  in  absence,  and  insisted  that  a formal  trial 
should  be  given  to  every  man  before  his  condernna 
tion.  At  length,  however,  the  bill  passed  ; and  the 
sentence  was  soon  after  executed,  and  the  pris- 
J oner  beheaded  on  Tower-hill.  Thd  warrant  was 
signed  by  Somerset  himself,  who  was  much  blamed 
on  account  of  the  violence  of  these  proceedings. 

In  this  session,  the  translation  of  the  liturgy,  as 
well  as  of  the  scriptures,  into  the  vulgar  tongue,  was 
established  by  parliament;  and  an  act  was  also  passed, 
permitting  the  marriage  of  priests,  who  had  hithertc 
Veen  enjoined  celibacy. 

Scarcely  any  institution  can  be  considered  Jess  H 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


PAH 

vourable  to  the  interests  of  mankind  than  that  of 
monks  and  friars.  The  convents,  however,  were  a 
sure  resource  to  the  poor  and  indigent;  and  though 
the  alms  which  they  distributed  gave  too  much  en- 
couragement to  idleness,  yet  the  suppression  of  them 
was  felt  and  regretted.  These  grievances  were  at 
this  time  heightened  by  other  causes.  The  arts  of 
manufacture  were  much  more  advanced  in  other  Eu- 
ropean countries  than  in  England;  and  even  in  Eng- 
land these  arts  had  made  greater  progress  than  the 
knowledge  of  agriculture.  A great  demand  arose  for 
wool  both  abroad  and  at  home  ; pasturage  was  found 
more  p.ofitable  than  unskilful  tillage.;  whole  estates 
were  laid  waste  by  enclosures  ; and  a decay  of  people, 
as  well  as  a diminution  of  the  former  plenty,  was  re- 
marked in  the  kingdom. 

The  general  increase  also  of  gold  and  silver  in  Eu- 
rope, after  the  discovery  of  the  West-Indies,  had  a 
tendency  to  inflame  these  complaints.  The  growing 
demand  in  the  more  commercial  countries  had  height- 
ened every  where  the  price  of  commodities,  which 
could  easily  be  transported  thither;  but  in  England, 
the  labour  of  men  who  could  not  so  easily  change  their 
habitation,  still  remained  nearly  at  the  ancient  rates; 
and  the  poor  complained  that  they  could  no  longer 
gain  a subsistence  by  their  industry;  .which,  as  it  was 
difficult  for  them  to  shake  off  their  former  habits  of 
’.ndolence,  they  were,  in  fact,  unwilling  to  employ. 

Loud  complaints  were  heard  in  every  part  of  Eng 
land;  and  these  were  succeeded  by  acts  of  open  vio- 
lence. The  rising  was  simultaneous,  as  if  a general 
conspiracy  had  been  formed  by  the  people.  The  com- 
motions in  Hampshire,  Sussex,  Kent,  and  some  other 
counties,  were  quieted  by  mild  expedients  ; but  the 
disorders  in  Devonshire  and  Norfolk  threatened  more 
dangerous  consequences.  In  Devonshire,  the  rebels, 
who  amounted  to  ten  thousand,  were  attacked  and  de- 
feated near  Exeter  by  lord  Russel,  who  had  been  sent 
to  disperse  therrr.  In  Norfolk,  the  insurgents  amount- 
ed to  twenty  thousand,  and  were  headed  by  one  Ket, 
a tanner.  The  protector  affected  popularity,  and  cared 
not  to  appear  in  person  against  the  rebels;  he  there 
fort  sent  the  earl  of  Warwick,  at  the  head  of  six  thou 
land  men,  levied  for  the  wars  against  Scotland ; by 


EDWARD  VI. 


219 


which  means  he  afforded  his  mortal  enemy  an  oppor 
tunity  of  increasing  his  reputation  and  character. 
Warwick  having  tried  some  skirmishes  with  the  reb* 
els,  at  last  made  a general  attack  upon  them,  and  put 
them  to  flight.  Two  thousand  fell  in  the  action  and 
pursuit;  and  Ket  was  hanged  at  Norwich. 

But  though  these  insurrections  were  quickly  sub- 
dued, they  were  attended  with  serious  consequences 
to  the  foreign  interests  of  the  nation.  The  Scots  took 
the  fortress  of  Broughty,  and  compelled  the  English 
to  evacuate  Haddington  ; and  the  French  recovered 
all  the  conquests  which  Henry  had  made  on  the  con- 
tinent, with  the  exception  of  Boulogne. 

Somerset,  despairing  of  the  assistance  of  the  em- 
peror, was  inclined  to  conclude  a peace  with  France 
and  Scotland;  but  his  enemies  in  the  council  oppos- 
ed all  proposals  for  a pacification.  Lord  St.  John, 
president  of  the  council,  the  earls  of  Warwick,  South- 
ampton, and  Arundel,  with  five  members  more,  met  at 
Ely-house ; and  assuming  to  themselves  the  whole 
power  of  the  council,  began  to  act  independently  of 
the  protector,  whom  they  represented  as  the  author 
of  every  public  grievance  and  misfortune.  They  wrote 
letters  to  the  chief  nobility  and  gentry  of  England, 
informing  them  of  the  present  measures,  and  requir- 
ing their  assistance;  they  sent  for  the  mayor  and  al- 
dermen of  London,  and  enjoined  them  to  obey  their 
orders,  without  regard  to  any  contrary  orders  which 
they  might  receive  from  the  duke  of  Somerset.  They 
laid  the  same  injunctions  on  the  lieutenant  of  the 
Tower,  who  expressed  his  resolution  to  comply  with 
them.  Other  lords  and  gentlemen  joined  the  malcon-. 
tent  counceliors. 

Somerset  was  sent  to  the  Tower;  and  articles  of 
indictment  were  preferred  against  him.  He  was  pre- 
vailed on  to  confess  on  his  knees,  before  the  council, 
all  the  articles  of  charge  against  him;  and  he  even 
subscribed  this  confession.  The  paper  was  given  into 
parliament,  who,  after  sending  a committee  to  exam- 
ine him,  andhear  him  acknowledge  it  to  be  genuine, 
passed  a vote,  by  which  they  deprived  him  of  all  h.s 
o'ficcs,  and  fined  him  two  thousand  pounds  a-year  in 
land.  L;' i'd  St.  John  was  created  treasurer  in  his  place, 
Stid.  Warwick  earl- marshal.  The  prosecution  agains- 


220 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


him  was  carried  no  farther  j and  his  fine  was  remitted 
by  the  king.  Warwick,  thinking  that  he  was  now 
sufficiently  humbled,  re-admitted  him  into  the  coun- 
cil, and  even  agreed  to  an  alliance  between  their  fami- 
lies, by  the  marriage  of  his  own  son,  lord  Dudley,  with 
the  lady  Jane  Seymour,  daughter  of  Somerset. 

When  Warwick  and  the  council  of  regency  began 
15501  to  exerc‘se  their  power,  they  found  themselves 
-*  embarrassed  by  the  wars  with  France  and  Scot- 
land j.  and  therefore  a pacification  was  effected,  by 
which  France  bound  herself  to  pay  four  hundred  thou- 
sand crowns  for  the  restitution  of  Boulogne  ; and  the 
English  agreed  to  restore  to  Scotland  Lauder  and  Dou- 
glas, and  to  demolish  the  fortresses  of  Roxburgh  and 
Ey  mouth. 

In  all  other  respects,  than  an  intention  of  marrying 


1551} 


the  king  to  a daughter  of  the  king  of  France,  a 


violent  persecutor  of  the  protestants,  the  coun- 
cil was  steady  in  promoting  the  reformation.  Several 
prelates  still  adhered  to  the  Romish  communion,  and 
were  deprived  of  their  sees  on  pretehce  of  disobedi- 
ence. The  princess  Mary  declared  herself  willing  to 
endure  death  rather  than  relinquish  the  ancient  reli- 
gion j and  Edward,  who  had  been  educated  in  a vio- 
lent abhorrence  of  the  mass  and  other  popish  rites, 
lamented  his  sister's  obstinacy,  and  bewailed  his  fate 
in  suffering  her  to  continue  in  such  an  abominable 
mode  of  worship. 

Various  schemes  attempted  by  the  council  for  pro- 
moting industry  were  likely  to  prove  abortive,  by  the 
ambition  of  Warwick.  The  last  earl  of  Northumber- 
land died  without  issue  j and  as  sir  Thomas  Piercy, 
his  brother,  had  been  attainted  in  the  late  reign,  War- 
wick procured  a grant  of  the  estate,  with  the  title 
of  duke  of  Northumberland. 

Finding  that  Somerset,  though  degraded  from  his 
dignity,  still  enjoyed  a considerable  share  of  populari- 
ty, Northumberland  determined  to  ruin  the  man  whom 
he  regarded  as  the  chief  obstacle  to  the  -attainment 
of  his  ambition.  The  alliance  between  the  two  fami- 
lies had  produced  no  cordial  union.  Northumberland 
secretly  gained  many  of  the  friends  and  servants  of 
that  unhappy  nobleman  ; and  the  unguarded  Somerset 
often  broke  out  into  menacing  expressions,  whidft 
his  treacherous  confidants  carried  to  his  enemy. 


EDWARD  VI. 


22. 

In  one  night;  the  duke  of  Somerset,  lord  Grey,  Da- 
vid and  John  Seymour,  Hammond  and  Neudigate,  two 
of  the  duke’s  servants,  sir  Ralph  Vane,  and  sir  Thom- 
as Palmer,  were  arrested  and  committed  to  custody. 
Next  day  the  duchess  of  Somerset,  with  her  favour- 
ites, and  some  others,  were  thrown  into  prison.  Sir 
Thomas  Palmer,  who  had  all  along  acted  as  a spy  up- 
on Somerset,  accused  him  of  having  formed  a design 
of  raising  an  insurrection  in  the  north  ; and  that  he 
had  once  projected  the  murder  of  Northumberland, 
Northampton,  and  Pembroke.  Somerset  was  brought 
to  his  trial  before  the  marquis  of  Winchester,  created 
high-steward.  Twenty-seven  peers  composed  the  jury, 
among  whom  were  "Northumberland,  Pembroke,  and 
Northampton,  whom  decency  should  have  hindered 
from  acting  as  judges  in  the  trial  of  a man  that  appear- 
ed to  be  their  capital  enemy.  Somerset  was  accused 
of  high-treason  on  account  of  the  projected  insurrec- 
tions, and  of  felony  in  laying  a design  to  murder  privy- 
counsellors.  The  proof  seems  to  have  been  lame  in 
regard  to  the  treasonable  part  of  the  charge  5 but  the 
prisoner  himself  confessed  that  he  had  expressed  his 
intention  of  nnfrdering  Northumberland  and  the  other 
lords  ; and  he  was  accordingly  condemned  to  death 
for  felony. 

Care  had  been  taken  to  prepossess  the  young  king 
against  his  uncle  5 and  lest  he  should  relent,  no  ac- 
cess was  given  to  any  of  Somerset’s  friends.  The 
prisoner  was  brought  to  the  scaffold  on  Tower-hill, 
amidst  great  crowds  of  spectators,  who  bore  him  such 
15521  s‘ncere  hindness  that  they  entertained  to  the 
' ' -*  last  moment  the  fond  hopes  of  his  pardon.  Ma- 
ny of  them  rushed  in  to  dip  their  handkerchiefs  in  his 
blood,  which  they  long  preserved  as  a precious  rel- 
ique  5 and  some  of  them  soon  after,  when  Northum- 
berland met  with  a like  doom,  upbraided  him  with 
this  cruelty,  and  displayed  to  him  these  symbols  of 
his  crime.. 

The  day  after  the  execution  of  Somerset,  a session 
of  parliament  was  held,  in  which  farther  advances 
were  made  towards  the  establishment  of  the  reforma- 
tion. The  new  liturgy  was  authorized  } and  penalties 
were  enacted  against  all  those  who  absented  them 
selves  from  public  worship. 


m 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Tonstal,  bishop  of  Durham,  less  eminent  for  th« 
dignity  of  his  see,  than  for  his  own  personal  merit, 
had  opposed,  by  his  vote  and  authority,  all  innovations 
in  religion  ; but  as  soon  as  they  were  enacted,  he  had 
always  submitted  from  a sense  of  duty,  and  had  con- 
formed to  every  theological  system  which  had  been 
established.  The  general  regard  paid  to  his  charac- 
ter had  protected  him  from  any  severe  treatment  dur- 
ing the  administration  of  Somerset  ; but  when  North- 
umberland gained  the  ascendant,  he  was  thrown  in- 
to prison  ; and  as  that  rapacious  nobleman  had  form- 
ed a design  of  seizing  the  revenues  of  the  see  of  Dur- 
ham, and  of  acquiring  to  himself  a principality  in  the 
northern  counties,  he  was  resolved  to  deprive  Tonstal 
of  his  bishopric.  A bill  of  attainder,  therefore,  on 
pretence  of  misprision  of  treason,  was  introduced  into 
the  house  of  peers  against  that  prelate,  and  passed 
with  slight  opposition  5 but  when  the  bill  was  sent 
down  to  the  commons,  they  required  that  witnesses 
should  be  examined,  that  Tonstal  should  be  allowed 
to  defend  himself,  and  that  he  should  be  confronted 
with  his  accusers.  These  demands  being  refused, 
they  rejected  the  bill.  * 

This  equity,  so  unusual  in  the  parliament  during 
that  age,  was  ascribed  by  Northumberland  to  the  prev- 
alence of  Somerset’s  faction;  and  it  was  therefore  re- 
solved to  dissolve  the  parliament,  and  to  summon  a 
new  one.  This  expedient  answered  Northumberland’s 
expectations.  As  Tonstal  had.,  in  the  interval,  been 
deprived  of  his  bishopric  in  an  arbitrary  manner,  by 
the  sentence  oT lay-commissioners  appointed  to  try 
him,  the  see  of  Durham  was  by  act  of  parliament  di- 
vided into  two  bishoprics,  which  had  certain  portions 
of  the  revenue  assigned  them.  The  regalities  of  the 
see,  which  included  the  jurisdiction  of  a count  pala 
tine,  were  given  by  the  king  to  Northumberland. 

The  young  prince  showed  a disposition  to  frugality  ; 
but  such  had  been  the  rapacity  of  the  courtiers,  that 
the  crown  owed  about  three  hundred  thousand  pounds  ; 
and  as  the  king’s  health  was  declining  very  fast,  the 
emptiness  of  the  exchequer  was  an  obstacle  to  the 
ambitious  projects  of  Northumberland.  That  noble- 
man represented  to  Edward,  that  his  two  sisters,  M i- 
ry and  Elizabeth,  had  been  declared  illegitimate  by 


EDWARD  VI. 


223 


act  of  parliament  3 that  the  queen  of  Scots  stood  ex- 
cluded by  the,  late  king's  will 3 that  the  certain  con- 
sequence of  his  sister  Mary’s  succession,  or  that  of 
thj  queen  of  Scots,  was  the  abolition  of  the  protes- 
tant  religion  3 that  the  succession  next  devolved  on 
the  marchioness  of  Dorset,  elder  daughter  of  the 
French  queen,  and  the  duke  of  Suffolk  3 that  the  next 
heir  of  the  marchioness  was  the  lady  Jane  Grey,  a 
lady  of  the  most  amiable  character,  accomplished  by 
the  best  education,  both  in  literature  and  religion,  and 
every  way  worthy  of  a crown  j and  that  even  if  her 
title  by  blood  were  doubtful,  which  there  was  no  just 
reason  to  pretend,  the  king  was  possessed  of  the  same 
power  that  his  father  enjoyed,  and  might  leave  her  the 
crown  by  letters  patent.  These  reasonings  made  im- 
pression on  me  young  prince  3 and,  above  all,  his  zeal- 
ous attachment  to  the  protestant  religion  made  him 
apprehend  the  consequences,  if  so  bigoted  a catholic 
as  his  sister  Mary  should  succeed  to  the  throne.  And 
though  he  bore  an  affection  to  the  lady  Elizabeth,  who 
was  liable  to  no  such  objection,  means  were  found  to 
persuade  him  that  he  aould  not  exclude  the  one  sister 
on  account  of  illegitimacy,  without  also  excluding  the 
other. 

Northumberland,  finding  that  his  arguments  were 
likely  to  operate  on  the  king,  began  to  prepare  the 
other  parts  of  his  scheme.  Two  sons  of  the  duke  of 
Suffolk,  by  a second  marriage,  having  died  this  season 
of  the  sweating  sickness,  that  title  was  extinct  3 and 
Northumberland  engaged  the  king  to  bestow  it  on  the 
marquis  of  Dorset.  By  means  of  this  favour,  and  of 
others  which  he  conferred  upon  him,  he  persuaded 
the  new  duke  of  Suffolk  and  the  duchess  to  give  their 
daughter,  the  lady  Jane,  in  marriage  to  his  fourth  son, 
the  lord  Guildford  Dudley.  In  order  to  fortify  him- 
self by  farther  alliances,  he  negotiated  a marriage  be- 
tween the  lady  Catherine  Grey,  second  daughter  of 
Suffolk,  and  lord  Herbert,  eldest  son  of  the  earl  of 
Pembroke.  He  also  married  his  own  daughter  to  lord 
Hastings,  eldest  son  of  the  earl  of  Huntingdon.  Those 
marriages  were  solemnized  with  great  pomp  and  fes- 
livity  3 and  the  people,  who  hated  Northumberland, 
could  not  forbear  expressing  their  indignation  at  see* 
ing  such  public  demonstrations  of  joy  during  the  lan- 
3 tishing  state  of  the  young  prince’s  health. 


m 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


The  appearance  of  symptoms  of  a consumption  in  Ed 
ward  made  Northumberland  more  intent  on  the  execu 
tion  of  his  project.  He  removed  all  except  his  own  era 
issaries  from  about  the  king  3 and  by  artifice  he  prevail 
ed  on  the  young  prince  to  give  his  final  consent  to  the 
settlement  projected.  Sir  Edward  Montague,  chief 
justice  of  the  common  pleas,  sir  John  Baker,  and  sir 
Thomas  Bromley, ^two  judges,  were  accordingly  sum- 
moned to  the  council,  where,  after  the  minutes  of  the 
intended  deed  were  read  to  them,  the  king  required 
them  to  draw  them  up  in  the  form  of  letters-patent. 
They  hesitated  to  obey,  and  desired  time  to  consider 
The  more  they  reflected,  the  greater  danger  they  found 
in  compliance.  The  settlement  of  the  crown  by  Henry 
the  Eighth  had  been  made  in  consequence  of  an  act 
of  parliament  3 and  by  another  act,  passed  in  the  be- 
ginning of  this  reign,  it  was  declared  treason  in  any 
of  the  heirs,  their  aiders  or  abettors,  to  change  the 
order  of  succession.  The  judges  pleaded  these  rea- 
sons before  the  council  3 and  they  were  reduced  to 
great  difficulties  between  the  dangers  from  the  law, 
and  those  which  arose  from  the  violence  of  present 
power  and  authority.  At  last,  Montague  proposed  an 
expedient,  which  satisfied  both  his  brethren  and  the 
counsellors.  He  desired  that  a special  commission 
should  be  passed  by  the  king  and  council,  requiring 
the  judges  to  draw  a patent  for  the  new  settlement  of 
the  crown  3 and  that  a pardon  should  be  immediately 
after  granted  them  for  any  offence  which  they  might 
have  incurred  by  their  compliance. 

When  the  patent  was  drawn,  and  brought  to  the 
bishop  of  Ely,  chancellor,  in  order  to  have  the  great 
seal  affixed  to  it,  the  prelate  required  that  all  the 
judges  should  previously  sign  it.  The  chancellor 
next  required,  for  his  greater  security,  that  all  the 
privy-counsellors  should  set  their  hands  to  the  patent; 
and  the  intrigues  of  Northumberland,  or  the  fear  of 
his  violence,  were  so  prevalent,  that  the  counsellors 
complied  with  this  demand.  Cranmer  alone  hesitated N 
during  some  time,  but  at  last  yielded  to  the  earnest 
and  pathetic  intreaties  of  the  king. 

After  this  settlement  was  made,  with  so  many  in 
auspicious  circumstances,  Edward  visibly  declined 
every  day ; and,  to  make  matters  worse,  his  physi 


EDWARD  VI. 


£25 


cians  were  dismissed  by  Northumberland's  advice, 
and  by  an  order  of  council  ; and  he  was  put  into  the 
hands  of  an  ignorant  woman,  in  a little  time  to  restore 
him  to  his  former*  state  of  health.  After  the  use  of 
her  medicines,  all  his  b Ad  symptoms  increased  to  the 
most  violent  degree ; ard  he  expired  at  Greenwich, 
in  the  sixteenth  year  of  his  age,  and  the  seventh  of 
his  reign. 

The  English  historians  dwell  with  pleasure  on  the 
excellent  qualities  of  th.s  young  prince;  whom  the 
flattering  promises  of  hope,  joined  to  many  real  virtues, 
had  made  an  object  of  tender  affection  to  the  public. 
He  possessed  mildness  of  disposition,  with  application 
to  study  and  business,  and  a capacity  to  learn  and 
judge,  with  an  attachment  to  equity  and  justice. 

During  the  reign  of  Edward,  the  princess  Mary  had 
been  regarded  as  his  lawful  successor;  and  though 
the  protestants  dreaded  the  effects  of  her  prejudices, 
15531  e:ltrerne  hatred  universally  entertained 
•*  against  the  Dudleys,  who,  it  was  foreseen, 
would  reign  under  the  name  of  Jane,  was  more  than 
sufficient  to  counterbalance,  even  with  that  party,  the 
attachment  to  religion.  This  last  attempt  to  violate 
the  order  of  succession  had  displayed  Northumber- 
land's ambition  and  injustice  in  a full  light. 

Northumberland,  sensible  of  the  opposition  which 
he  must  expect,  had  carefully  concealed  the  destina- 
tion made  by  the  king;  and,  in  order  to  bring  the  two 
princesses  into  his  power,  he  had  the  art  to  engage  the 
council,  before  Edward’s  death,  to  write  to  them  in 
that  prince's  name,  desiring  their  attendance,  on  pre- 
tence that  his  infirm  state  of  health  required  the  as- 
sistance of  their  council,  and  the  consolation  of  their 
company.  Edward  expired  before  their  arrival  ; but 
Northumberland,  in  order  to  make  the  princesses  fall 
into  the  snare,  kept  the  king's  death  still  secret;  and 
the  lady  Mary  had  already  reached  Hoddesden,  within 
half  a day's  journey  of  the  court.  Happily,  the  earl 
of  Arundel  sent  her  private  intelligence  both  of  her 
brother's  death  and  of  the  conspiracy  formed  against 
her.  She  immediately  made  haste  to  retire  ; and  she 
arrived  at  Framlingham  in  Sufiolk,  where  she  purposed 
embark  and  escape  *0  Flanders,  in  case  she  should 
find  it  impossible  to  defend  ner  right  of  succession 

VOL.  I V 15 


226 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


She  wrote  letters  to  the  nobility  and  most  considera 
ble  gentry  in  every  county  of  England,  commanding 
them  to  assist  her  in  the  defence  of  her  crown  and 
person  3 and  she  despatched  a message  to  the  council, 
requiring  them  immediately  to  give  orders  for  pro* 
claiming  her  in  London. 

Northumberland  found  that  farther  dissimulation 
was  fruitless  3 and  he  approached  the  lady  Jane  with 
the  respect  due  to  a sovereign.  Jane  was  in  a great 
measure  ignorant  of  the  transactions  which  had  taken 
place  3 and  it  was  with  equal  grief  and  surprise  that 
she  received  the  intelligence.  She  was  a lady  of  an 
amiable  person,  an  engaging  disposition,  and  accom- 
plished talents.  Her  heart,  full  of  a passion  for  liter- 
ature and  the  elegant  arts,  and  of  tenderness  towards 
her  husband,  who  was  deserving  of  her  affections,  had 
no  room  for  ambition.  She  even  refused  to  accept 
the  crown,  and  pleaded  the  right  of  the  two  princess- 
es 3 and  she  at  last  yielded  rather  to  the  intreaties  than 
the  reasons  of  her  father  and  husband 

Orders  were  given  by  the  council  to  proclaim  Jane 
throughout  the  kingdom  5 but  these  orders  were  exe- 
cuted only  in  London  and  the  neighbourhood.  In  the 
mean  time,  the  people  of  Suffolk  paid  their'attendance 
on  Mary.  They  were  much  attached  to  the  reformed 
religion  3 and  as  she  assured  them  that  she  never 
meant  to  change  the  laws  of  Edward,  they  enlisted  in 
her  .cause  with  zeal  and  affection.  The  nobility  and 
gentry  daily  flocked  to  her,  and  brought  her  reinforce- 
ments. Even  a fleet,  which  had  been  sent  by  North- 
umberland to  lie  off  the  coast  of  Suffolk,  being  forced 
into  Yarmouth  by  a storm,  was  engaged  to  declare  in 
her  favour. 

Northumberland,  hitherto  blinded  by  amfiition,  saw 
at  last  the  danger  gather  round  him,  and  knew  not 
which  way  to  turn.  He  had  levied  forces  which  were 
assembled  at  London-;  but  dreading  the  cabals  of  the 
courtiers  and  counsellors,  whose  compliance  he  knew 
had  been  entirely  the  result  of  fear  or  artifice,  he  was 
resolved  to  keep  near  the  person  of  the  lady  Jane,  and 
send  Suffolk  to  command  the  army.  But  the  counsel- 
lors who  wished  to  remove  him,  working  on  the  filial 
tenderness  of  Jane,  magnified  to  her  the  danger  to 
which  her  father  would  be  exposed  3 and  represented 


MARY. 


127 

that  Northumberland,  who  had  gained  reputation  b) 
formerly  suppressing  a rebellion  in  those  parts,  was 
more  proper  to  command  in  that  enterprise.  The 
duke  himself,  who  knew  the  slender  capacity  of  Suf- 
folk, began  to  think  that  he  only  was  able  to  encounter 
the  present  danger  3 and  he  agreed  to  take  the  com- 
mand of  the  troops.  The  counsellors  attended  him  at 
his  departure  with  the  highest  protestations  of  attach- 
ment., and  none  more  than  Arundel,  his  mortal  enemy. 
As  he  went  along,  he  remarked  the  disaffection  of  the 
people,  which  forebode  ! a fatal  issue  to  his  ambitious 
hopes.  “ Many/7  said  he  to'lord  Gray,  u come  out  to 
look  at  us,  but  I find  not  one  who  cries,  God  speed 
you  !77 

The  duke  had  no  sooner  reached  St.  Edmondsbury, 
than  he  found  his  army,  which  did  not  exceed  six  thou- 
sand men,  too  weak  to  encounter  the  queen's,  which 
amounted  to  double  the  number.  The  counsellors 
immediately  laid  hold  of  the  opportunity  to  free  them- 
selves from  confinement,  and  to  return  to  the  duty 
which  they  owed  to  their  lawful  sovereign.  The  may- 
or and  aldermen  of  London  discovered  great  alacrity 
in  obeying  the  orders  they  received  to  proclaim  Marv. 
The  people  expressed  their  approbation  by  shouts  of 
applause.  Even  Suffolk,  who  commanded  in  the  Tow- 
er, finding  resistance  fruitless,  opened  the  gates  and 
declared  for  the  queen.  The  lady  Jane,  after  the  vain 
pageantry  of  wearing  a crown  during  ten  days,  returned 
to  a private  life  with  more  satisfaction  than  she  felt 
when  the  royalty  was  tendered  to  her;  and  the  mes- 
sengers who  were  sent  to  Northumberland  with  orders 
to  lay  down  his  arms,  found  that  he  had  despaired  of 
success,  was  deserted  by  all  his  followers,  and  had  al- 
ready proclaimed  the  queen,  with  exterior  marks  of  ’ 
joy  and  satisfaction. 

The  people  every  where,  on  the  queen's  approach 
to  London,  gave  sensible  expressions  of  their  loyalty 
and  attachment;  and  the  lady  Elizabeth  met  her  at 
the  head  of  a thousand  horse.  The  queen  gave  orders 
for  taking  into  custody  the  duke  of  Northumberland, 
who  fell  on  his  knees  to  the  earl  of  Arundel,  sent  to 
arrest  him,  and  abjectly  begged  his  life.  At  the  same 
time  were  committed  the  earl  of  Warwick,  his  eldest 
son;  lord  Ambrose  and  lord  Henry  Dudley,  two  of  hi? 


223 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


younger  sons  ; sir  Andrew  Dudley,  his  brother ; ihe 
marquis  of  Northampton,  the  earl  of  Huntingdon,  sir 
Thomas  Palmer,  und  sir  John  Gates.  The  queen 
afterwards  confined  the  duke  of  Suffolk,  lady  Jane 
Grey,  and  lord  Guildford  Dudley.  But  Mary  was  desir- 
ous, in  the  beginning  of  her  reign,  to  acquire  popular- 
ity by  the  appearance  of  clemency  ; and  because  the 
counsellors  pleaded  constraint  as  an  excuse  for  their 
treason,  she  extended  her  pardon  to  most  of  them. 
Suffolk  owed  his  liberty  to  the  contempt  of  his  inca- 
pacity ; but  Northumberland  was  too  powerful  and 
dangerous  to  be  pardoned  ; he  pleaded  guilty,  and  was 
executed.  Sir  Thomas  Palmer  and  sir  John  Gates 
Fuffered  with  him.  Sentence  was  also  pronounced 
against  the  lady  Jane  and  lord  Guildford  5 but  the  exe- 
cution of  it  was  at  present  deferred. 

The  joy  arising  from  the  succession  of  the  lawful 
heir  did  not  prevent  the  people  from  feeling  great 
anxiety  concerning  the  state  of  religion;  and  the  na- 
tion dreaded  not  only  the  abolition,  but  the  persecu- 
tion of  the  established  religion  from  the  zeal  of  Mary; 
and  it  was  not  long  before  she  discovered  her  inten- 
tions. Gardiner,  Bonner,  Tonstal,  and  others,  were 
reinstated  in  their  sees  ; and  Cranmer,  whose  merits 
to  the  queen  during  the  reign  of  Henry  had  been  con- 
siderable, was  tried  for  the  part  which  he  had  acted 
in  concurring  with  lady  Jane,  and  pronounced  guilty 
of  high-treason.  The  execution  of  the  sentence, 
however,  did  not  follow  : and  Cranmer  was  reserved 
for  a more  cruel  punishment. 

Several  English  protestants,  foreseeing  a persecu- 
tion of  the  reformers,  took  shelter  in  foreign  parts  ; 
and  affairs  wore  a dismal  aspect  for  the  reformation. 
In  opening  the  parliament,  the  court  showed  a con- 
tempt of  the  laws,  by  celebrating  before  the  two  hou- 
ses a mass  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  Latin  tongue,  at- 
tended with  all  the  ancient  rites  and  ceremonies, 
though  abolished  by  act  of  parliament.  Taylor,  bisi:- 
op  of  Lincoln,  having  refused  to  kneel  at  this  service 
was  severely  handled,  and  was  violently  thrust  out  of 
the  house.  The  queen,  however,  still  retained  the 
title  of  supreme  head  of  the  church  of  England ; and 
it  was  generally  pretended,  that  the  intention  of  the 
court  was  only  to  restore  religion  to  the  same  condi 


MARY. 


229 


fion  in  which  it  had  been  left  by  Henry  ; but  that  the 
other  abuses  of  popery,  which  were  the  most  grievoua 
to  the  nation,  would  never  be  revived. 

The  first  bill  passed  by  the  parliament  was  of  a pop 
ular  nature,  and  abolished  every  species  of  treason  not 
contained  in  the  statute  of  Edward  III.,  and  every  spe 
cies  of  felony  that  did  not  subsist  before  the  first  of 
Henry  the  Eighth.  All  the  statutes  of  king  Edward, 
with  regard  to  religion,  were  repealed  by  one  vote. 
The  attainder  of  the  duke  of  Norfolk  was  reversed  : 
and  this  act  of  justice  was  more  reasonable,  than  the 
declaring  of  that  attainder  invalid,  without  farther  au- 
thority. 

Notwithstanding  the  compliance  of  the  two  houses 
with  the  queen's  inclinations,  they  were  determined 
not  to  submit  tamely  to  her  pleasure  in  the  choice  of 
a husband.  There  were  three  matches,  concerning 
which  it  was  supposed  that  Mary  had  deliberated  after 
her  accession.  The  first  person  proposed  to  her  was 
the  earl  of  Devonshire,  whose  person  and  address  had 
visibly  gained  on  the  queen’s  affections  ; but  that  no- 
bleman neglected  the  advantage,  and  attached  himself 
to  the  lady  Elizabeth,  whose  youth  and  agreeable  con- 
versation he  preferred  to  all  the  power  and  grandeur 
of  her  sister  : the  second  was  cardinal  Pole,  who  had 
never  taken  priest’s  orders,  but  who,  having  contract- 
ed habits  of  study  and  retirement,  was  represented  to 
the  queen  as  unsuitable  to  the  business  of  a court : the 
third  was  Philip,  son  of  the  emperor  Charles  V.  5 and 
this  alliance  was  not  only  desired  by  the  emperor,  but 
strenuously  recommended  by  Gardiner,  who  had  be- 
come prime-minister,  and  was  readily  embraced  by 
Mary  herself.  The  commons  were  alarmed  that  the 
queen  had  resolved  to  contract  a foreign  alliance  5 and 
they  sent  a committee  to  remonstrate  in  strong  terms 
against  that  dangerous  measure.  To  prevent  farther 
applications  of  the  same  kind,  she  thought  proper  to 
dissolve  the  parliament. 

After  the  parliament  was  dismissed,  the  new  laws 
with  regard  to  religion  were  openly  put  in  execution. 
The  mass  was  every  where  re-estaolistied  and  mar 
riage  was  declared  to  be  incompatible  with  any  spirit- 
ual office.  This  violent  and  sudden  change  of  religion 
inspired  the  protestants  with  great  discontent ; but 


230 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


16541  t^ie  Spanish  match  was  a point  of  more  genera 
J concern,  and  <iulused  universal  apprehensions 
for  the  liberty  and  independence  of  the  nation.  Tc 
obviate  all  clamour,  the  artn'^s  of  marriage  were 
drawn  as  favourably  as  possible  for  trie  interest  and  se- 
curity, and  even  grandeur,  of  England.  It  was  agreed 
that  though  Philip  should  have  the  title  of  king,  the  ad 
ministration  should  be  entirely  in  the  queen  j that  no 
foreigner  should  be  capable  of  enjoying  any  office  in 
the  kingdom  ; that  no  innovation  should  be  made  in 
the'  English  laws,  customs,  and  privileges  • that  Phil- 
ip should  not  carry  the  queen  abroad  without  her  con- 
sent, nor  any  of  her  children  without  the  consent  of 
the  nobility  5 that  the  male  issue  of  this  marriage 
should  inherit,  together  with  England,  both  Burgundy 
and  the  Low  Countries  •,  and  that  if  Don  Carlos,  Phil- 
ip's son  by  his  former  marriage,  should  die,  and  his 
line  be  extinct,  the  queen's  issue,  whether  male  or  fe- 
male, should  inherit  Spain,  Sicily,  Milan,  and  all  the 
Hher  dominions  of  Philip. 

These  articles,  however,  gave  no  satisfaction  ; and 
complaints  were  every  where  diffused  that  England 
would  become  a province,  and  a province  to  a king- 
dom which  usually  exercised  the  most  violent  author- 
ity over  all  her  dependent  dominions.  Some  persons, 
more  turbulent  than  the  rest,  formed  a conspiracy  to 
rise  in  arms,  and  declare  against  the  queen’s  marriage 
with  Philip.  Sir  Thomas  Wyat  purposed  to  raise 
Kent  5 sir  Peter  Carew,  Devonshire  5 and  they  engag- 
ed the  duke  of  Suffolk,  by  the  hopes  of  recovering  the 
crown  for  the  lady  Jane,  to  attempt  raising  the  mid- 
land counties.  Carew’s  rebellion  was  soon  suppress- 
ed ; and  he  was  obliged  to  fly  into  France.  Suffolk 
endeavoured  to  raise  the  people  in  the  counties  of 
Warwick  and  Leicester  : but  being  closely  pursued 
by  the  earl  of  Huntingdon,  at  the  head  of  three  hun- 
dred horse,  he  was  taken  and  carried  prisoner  to  Lon- 
don. Wyat  was  at  first  more  successful  in  his  at- 
tempt ; and  having  published  a declaration  at  Maid- 
stone, in  Kent,  against  the  queen’s  evil  counsellors, 
and  against  the  Spanish  match,  the  people  began  tc 
flock  to  his  standard.  The  duke  of  Norfolk,  with  sii 
Henry  Jernegan,  was  sent  against  him,  at  the  head  of 
the  guards  and  some  other  troops,  reinforced  with  five 


MARY. 


231 


hundred  Londoners  commanded  Bret.  The  Lon* 
doners,  however,  deserted  to  Wyat,  and  declared  that 
they  would  not  contribute  to  enslave  their  native 
country  j and  JNorfolk,  dreading  the  contagion  of  the 
example,  immediately  retreated  with  his  troops,  and 
took  shelter  in  the  city. 

After  this  proof  of  the  dispositions  of  the  people,  es- 
pecially of  the  Londoners,  who  were  mostly  protes- 
tants,  Wyat  was  encouraged  to  proceed  : he  led  his 
forces  to  Southwark,  but  finding  that  the  bridge  was 
secured  against  him,  and  that  the  city  was  overawed, 
he  marched  up  to  Kingston,  where  he  passed  the  riv- 
er with  four  thousand  men  5 and  returning  towards 
London,  hoped  to  encourage  his  partisans,  who  had 
engaged  to  declare  for  him.  He  had  however  impru- 
dently wasted  so  much  time,  that  the  critical  season 
on  which  all  popular  commotions  depend,  was  entire- 
ly lost ; and  his  followers  insensibly  falling  off,  he  was 
taken  prisoner  near  Temple  bar,  and  soon  after  exe- 
cuted, with  about  four  hundred  of  his  adherents. 

The  lady  Elizabeth  had  been,  during  some  time, 
treated  with  great  harshness  by  her  sister.  Mary 
seized  the  opportunity  of  this  rebellion  j and  hoping 
to  involve  Elizabeth  in  some  appearance  of  guilt,  com- 
mitted her  to  the  Tower  : but  the  princess  made  so 
good  a defence  before  the  council,  who  examined  her, 
that  the  queen  found  herself  under  the  necessity  of 
releasing  her.  In  order,  however,  to  send  her  out  of 
the  kingdom,  a marriage  was  offered  her  with  the  duke 
of  Savoy ; and  when  she  declined  the  proposal,  she 
was  committed  to  custody  under  a strong  guard  at 
Woodstock. 

This  rebellion  proved  fatal  to  the  lady  Jane  Grey 
and  her  husband.  She  was  warned  to  prepare  for 
death  ; a doom  which  she  had  long  expected,  and 
which  the  innocence  of  her  life,  as  well  as  the  mis- 
fortunes to  which  she  had  been  exposed,  rendered  no- 
wise unwelcome  to  her.  The  queen’s  zeal,  under 
colour  of  tender  mercy  to  the  prisoner’s  soul,  induced 
her  to  send  divines  who  harassed  her  with  perpetual 
disputation.  The  lady  Jane,  however,  had  presence 
of  mind,  in  those  melancholy  circumstances,  not  only 
to  defend  her  religion  by  all  the  topics  then  in  use,  but 
also  to  write  a letter  to  her  sister  in  the  Greek  lan 


i 


\ 


iV 


232 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


guage  ; in  which,  besides  sending  her  a copy  of  the 
scriptures  in  that  tongue,  she  exhorted  her  to  main- 
tain, in  every  fortune,  a like  steady  perseverance. 
On  the  day  of  her  execution,  her  husband  lord  Guild 
ford,  desired  permission  to  see  her  5 but  she  refused 
her  consent,  and  informed  him  by  a message,  that  the 
tenderness  of  their  parting  would  overcome  the  forti- 
tude of  both,  and  would  too  much  unbend  their  minds 
from  that  constancy  which  their  approaching  end  re- 
quired : their  separation,  she  said,  would  be  only  for  a 
moment;  and  they  would  soon  rejoin  each  other  in  a 
scene  where  their  affections  would  be  forever  united, 
and  where  death,  disappointment,  and  misfortunes, 
could  no  longer  have  access  to  them,  or  disturb  their 
eternal  felicity.  She  saw  her  husband  led  to  execu- 
tion ; and  having  given  him  from  the  windowsome  to- 
ken of  her  remembrance,  she  waited  with  tranquillity 
till  her  own  appointed  hour  should  bring  her  to  a like 
fate.  She  even  saw  his  headless  body  carried  back  in 
a cart ; and  found  herself  more  confirmed  by  the  re- 
ports which  she  heard  of  the  constancy  of  his  end, 
than  shaken  by  so  tender  and  melancholy  a spectacle. 
Sir  John  Gage,  constable  of  the  Tower,  when  he  led 
her  to  execution,  desired  her  to  bestow  on  him  some 
small  present,  which  he  might  keep  as  a perpetual  me- 
morial of  her  : she  gave  him  her  table-book,  on  which 
she  had  just  written  three  sentences  on  seeing  her 
husband’s  dead  body  ; one  in  Greek,  another  in  Latin, 
a third  in  English.  The  purport  of  them  was,  that  hu- 
man justice  was  against  his  body,  but  divine  mercy 
would  be  favourable  to  his  soul ; that  if  her  fault  de- 
served punishment,  her  youth  at  least,  and  her  impru- 
dence, were  worthy  of  excuse  3 and  that  God  and  pos- 
terity, she  trusted,  would  show  her  favour.  On  the 
scaffold  she  made  a speech  to  the  spectators,  in  which 
the  mildness  of  her  disposition  led  her  to  take  the 
blame  wholly  on  herself,  without  uttering  one  com- 
plaint against  the  severity  with  which  she  had  been 
treated;  and  then,  with  a steady  and  serene  counte 
nance,  she  submitted  to  the  stroke  of  death. 

The  duke  of  Suffolk  was  tried  and  condemned,  and 
soon  after  executed  ; and  the  Tower  and  all  the  pris- 
ons were  filled  with  nobility  and  gentry,  whom  their 
interest  with  the  nation  rendered  objects  of  suspicion 


MARY. 


233 


Tile  queen,  finding  that  she  was  universally  hated,  de* 
termined  to  deprive  the  people  of  resistance,  by  or- 
dering general  musters,  and  directing  the  commission- 
ers to  seize  their  arms. 

The  ministry  hoped  to  find  a compliant  disposition 
in  the  new  parliament,  which  was  summoned  to  as- 
semble ; and  for  the  purpose  of  facilitating  this  object, 
the  emperor  distributed  above  four  hundred  thousand 
crowns  in  bribes  and  pensions  among  the  members. 
Gardiner,  the  chancellor,  opened  the  session  by  a 
speech,  in  which  he  observed,  that  in  order  to  obviate 
the  inconveniences  which  might  arise  from  different 
pretenders,  it  was  necessary  to  invest  the  queen,  by 
law,  with  a power  of  disposing  of  the  crown,  and  of 
appointing  her  successor.  The  parliament,  however, 
who  knew  her  extreme  hatred  to  Elizabeth,  and  the 
probability  of  her  making  a will  in  her  husband’s  fa- 
vour, and  thereby  rendering  England  for  ever  a prov- 
ince to  the  Spanish  monarchy,  refused  to  acquiesce 
m Gardiner’s  proposal ; and,  the  more  effectually  to 
cut  off  Philip’s  hopes,  they  passed  a law,  il  that  her 
majesty,  as  their  only  queen,  should  solely,  and  as  a 
sole  queen,  enjoy  the  crown  and  sovereignty  of  her 
realms,  with  all  the  pre-eminences,  dignities,  and 
rights  thereto  belonging,  in  as  large  and  ample  a man- 
ner after  her  marriage,  without  any  title  or  claim  ac- 
cruing to  the  prince  of  Spain,  either  as  tenant  by  cour- 
tesy, or  by  any  other  means.” 

The  queen,  finding  the  parliament  less  subservient 
than  she  wished,  finished  the  session  by  dissolving 
them;,  and  she  employed  all  her  thoughts  on  receiv- 
ing Don  Philip,  whose  arrival  she  hourly  expected. 
She  waited  with  the  utmost  impatience  for  the  comple- 
tion of  the  marriage  ; and  every  obstacle  was  to  her  a 
source  of  anxiety  and  discontent.  She  complained  of 
Philip’s  delays  as  affected  ; and  she  could  not  conceal 
her  vexation,  that  though  she  brought  him  a kingdom 
as  her  dowry,  he  treated  her  with  such  neglect,  that 
he  had  never  yet  favoured  her  with  a single  letter.  Her 
health,  and  even  her  understanding,  were  visibly  hurt 
by  this  extreme  impatience;  and  she  was  struck  with 
a new  apprehension  lest  her  person,  impaired  by  time, 
and  blasted  by  sickness,  should  prove  disagreeable  to 
her  future  consort  Her  glass  discovered  to  her  how 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


131 

# haggard  she  was  become  5 and  when  she  remarked  thft 
decay  of  her  beauty,  she  knew  not  whether  she  ought 
more  to  desire  or  apprehend  the  arrival  of  Philip. 

At  last,  news  was  brought  the  queen  of  Philip’s  ar- 
rival at  Southampton.  A few  days  after  they  were 
married  at  Westminster,  and  having  made  a pompous 
er.try  into  London,  she  carried  him  to  Windsor,  the 
palace  in  which  they  afterwards  resided.  The  prince's 
behaviour  was  ill-calculated  to  remove  the  prejudices 
which  the  English  nation  had  entertained  against  him. 
He  was  distant  and  reserved  in  his  address  3 and  so 
entrenched  himself  in  form  and  ceremony,  that  he 
was  in  a manner  inaccessible  3 but  this  circumstance 
rendered  him  the  more  acceptable  to  the  queen,  who 
desired  to  have  no  company  but  her  husband’s,  and 
who  was  impatient  when  she  met  with  any  interrup- 
tion to  her  fondness. 

Mary  soon  found  that  Philip’s  ruling  passion  was 
ambition  3 and  that  the  only  method  of  gratifying  him, 
and  securing  his  affections,  was  to  render  hipi  master 
of  England.  For  the  purpose  of  obtaining  this  favour- 
ite object,  she  summoned  a new  parliament,  in  hopes 
of  finding  them  entirely  compliant  3 but  the  hatred  to 
the  Spaniards  still  prevailed,  and  the  queen  failed  in 
the  endeavour  to  get  her  husband  declared  presump- 
tive heir  to  the  crown.  That  assembly,  however,  was 
more  obsequious  in  regard  to  religion : it  had  re- 
versed the  attainder  of  cardinal  Pole,  who  had  come 
over  invested  with  legantine  powers  from  the  pope , 
and  who,  after  being  introduced  to  the  king  and  queen, 
invited  the  parliament  to  reconcile  themselves  and 
the  kingdom  to  the  apostolic  see,  from  which  they  had 
been  so  long  and  so  unhappily  divided.  This  message 
was  taken  in  good  part  3 and  both  houses  voted  an 
address  to  Philip  and  Mary,  acknowledging  that  they 
had  been  guilty  of  a most  horrible  defection  from  the 
true  church  ; and  praying  their  majesties  to  intercede 
with  the  holy  father  for  the  absolution  and  forgiveness 
of  their  penitent  subjects.  The  request  was  easily 
granted.  The  legate,  in  the  name  of  his  holiness, 
gave  the  parliament  and  kingdom  absolution,  freed 
them  from  all  censures,  and  received  them  again  into 
the  bosom  -of  the  church. 

The  queen’s  extreme  desire  of  having  issue  made 


MARY. 


235 


her  fondly  give  credit  to  every  appearance  of  pregnan- 
cy 3 and  when  the  legate  was  introduced  to  her,  she 
fancied  that  she  felt  the  embryo  stir  in  her  womb. 
Great  rejoicings  were  made  on  this  occasion  3 but  the 
nation  remained  somewhat  incredulous.  The  belief, 
however,  of  her  pregnancy  was  upheld  with  all  possi- 
ble care  ; and  was  one  artifice  by  which  Philip  endeav- 
oured to  support  his  authority  in  the  kingdom.  The 
parliament  passed  a law,  which,  in  case  of  the  queen’s 
demise,  appointed  him  protector  during  the  minority  3 
and  the  king  and  queen,  finding  that  they  could 
obtain  no  farther  concessions,  came  unexpect- 
edly to  Westminster  and  dissolved  them. 

The  success  of  Gardiner  in  governing  the  parlia- 
ment, and  engaging  them  to  concur  both  in  the  Span- 
ish match,  and  in  the  re-establishment  of  the  ancient 
religion,  had  raised  his  character  above  that  of  Pole, 
who  was  regarded  rather  as  a good  man  than  a great 
ninister.  The  latter  was  very  sincere  in  his  religious 
irinciples,  and  thought  that  no  consideration  of  hu- 
man policy  ought  ever  to  come  in  competition  with 
the  catholic  doctrines  3 whilst  Gardiner,  on  the  con- 
trary, had  always  made  his  religion  subservient  to  his 
schemes  of  safety  or  advancement.  Yet  the  benevo- 
lent disposition  of  Pole  led  him  to  advise  a toleration 
of  the  heretical  tenets,  which  he  highly  blamed  5 while 
the  severe  manners  of  Gardiner  inclined  him  to  sup- 
port by  persecution  that  religion  which  in  reality  he 
regarded  with  great  indifference. 

The  arguments  and  views  of  Gardiner  were  more 
agreeable  to  the  cruel  bigotry  of  Mary  and  Philip  3 
and  the  scheme  of  toleration  was  entirely  rejected. 
It  was  determined  to  let  loose  the  laws  in  their  full 
vigour  against  the  reformed  religion ; and  England 
was  soon  filled  with  scenes  of  horror,  which  have  ever 
since  rendered  the  catholic  religion  the  object  of  de 
served  detestation. 

Rogers,  prebendary  of  St.  Paul’s,  a man  eminent  in 
his  party  for  virtue  as  well  as  for  learning,  was  the 
first  victim  of  the  persecutors.  This  man,  beside  the 
care  of  his  own  preservation,  lay  under  other  power- 
ful temptations  to  recant:  he  had  a wife  whom  he 
tendedy  loved,  and  ten  children;  yet  such  was  his 
serenity  after  his  condemnation,  that  tne  jailors,  it  is 


236 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


said,  waked  him  from  a sound  sleep,  when  the  hout 
of  his  execution  approached.  He  had  desired  to  see 
A is  wife  before  he  died  5 but  Gardiner  told  him,  that 
he  was  a priest,  and  could  not  possibly  have  a wife  $ 
thus  adding  insult  to  cruelty. 

Hooper,  bishop  of  Gloucester,  had  been  tried  at  the 
same  time  with  Rogers;  but  was  sent  to  his  own  dio- 
cess  to  be  executed.  This  circumstance  was  contriv- 
ed to  strike  the  greater  terror  into  his  flock ; but  it 
was  a source  of  consolation  to  Hooper,  who  rejoicrd 
in  giving  testimony  by  his  death  to  that  doctrine  which 
he  had  formerly  preached  among  them.  When  he 
was  tied  to  the  stake,  a stool  was  set  before  him,  and 
the  queen's  pardon  laid  upon  it,  which  it  was  still  in 
his  power  to  merit  by  a recantation : but  he  ordered 
it  to  be  removed  ; and  cheerfully  prepared  himself  for 
that  dreadful  punishment  to  which  he  was  sentenced. 
He  suffered  it  in  its  full  severity:  the  wind,  which 
was  violent,  blew  the  flame  of  the  reeds  from  his  bo- 
dy ; the  faggots  were  green,  and  did  not  kindle  easily  } 
all  his  lower  parts  were  consumed  before  his  vitals 
were  attacked  ; but  he  was  heard  to  pray,  and  to  ex 
hort  the  people,  till  his  tongue,  swollen  with- the  vio- 
lence of  his  agony,  could  no  longer  permit  him  utter- 
ance. 

Sanders  v/as  burnt  at  Coventry  : a pardon  was  also 
offered  him  ; but  he  rejected  it,  and  embraced  the 
stake,  saying,  “ Welcome  the  cross  of  Christ ! wel- 
come everlasting  life  !”  Taylor,  parson  of  Hadley, 
was  punished  by  fire  in  that  place,  surrounded  by  his 
former  friends  and  parishioners.  Philpot,  archdeacon 
of  Winchester,  was  condemned  to  the  flames,  and 
suffered  at  Smithfield.  The  imputed  crime  for  which 
almost  all  the  protestants  were  condemned,  was  their 
refusal  to  acknowledge  the  doctrine  of  the  real  pre- 
sence. 

Gardiner,  who  had  vainly  expected  that  a few  ex- 
amples would  strike  a terror  into  the  reformers,  find- 
ing the  work  daily  multiply  upon  him,  devolved  the 
invidious  office  on  others,  chiefly  on  Bonner,  a man 
of  profligate  manners,  and  of  a brutal  character,  who 
seemed  to  rejoice  in  the  torments  of  the  unhappy 
sufferers.  He  sometimes  whipped  the  prisoners  with 
his  own  hands,  till  he  was  tired  with  the  violence  of 


MARY. 


23/ 


the  exercise  : he  tore  out  the  beard  of  a weaver  who 
refused  to  relinquish  his  religion}  and  that  he  might 
give  him  a specimen  of  burning,  he  held  his  hand  to 
the  candle  till  the  sinews  and  veins  shrunk  and  burst 

It  is  impossible  to  enumerate  in  this  work  all  the 
cruelties  practised  in  England  during  the  three  years 
that  these  persecutions  lasted.  Ferrar,  bishop  of  St. 
David's,  was  burned  in  his  own  diocess.  Ridley,  bish- 
op of  London,  and  Latimer,  formerly  bishop  of  Worces- 
ter, two  prelates  celebrated  for  learning  and  virtue, 
perished  together  in  the  same  flames  at  Oxford,  and 
supported  each  other's  constancy  by  their  mutual  ex- 
hortations. Latimer,  when  tied  to  the  stake,  called 
to  his  companion,  “ Be  of  good  cheer,  brother  5 we 
shall  this  day  kindle  such  a torch  in  England,  as,  1 
trust  in  God,  shall  never  be  extinguished. ” 

The  tender  sex  itself,  as  they  have  commonly  great- 
er propensity  to  religion,  produced  many  examples  of 
the  most  inflexible  courage  in  supporting  the  profes- 
sion of  their  faith  against  all  the  persecutors.  One 
execution  in  particular  was  attended  with  circumstan- 
ces which,  even  at  that  time,  excited  astonishment  by 
reason  of  their  unusual  barbarity.  A woman  in  Guern- 
sey, being  near  the  time  of  her  labour,  when  brought 
to  the  stake  was  thrown  into  such  agitation  by  the 
torture  that  her  belly  burst,  and  she  was  delivered  in 
the  midst  of  the  flames.  One  of  the  guards  immedi- 
ately snatched  the  infant  from  the  fire,  and  attempted 
to  save  it}  but  a magistrate,  who  stood  by,  ordered  i 
to  be  thrown  back,  being  determined,  he  said,  tha 
nothing  should  survive  which  sprang  from  so  obstinate 
and  heretical  a parent. 

These  barbarities,  committed  in  the  name  of  a reli 
gion  which  abjures  them,  excited  horror  in  the  nation, 
and  rendered  the  Spanish  government  daily  more  odi- 
ous. Philip,  sensible  of  the  hatred  which  he  incur 
red,  ordered  his  confessor  to  deliver,  in  his  presence, 
a sermon  in  favour  of  toleration  5 but  this  shallow  ar- 
tifice failed  of  the  desired  effect,  and  the  court  threw 
off  the  mask.  An  attempt  was  made  to  introduce  the 
nquisition  into  England  } and  a commission  was  ap- 
pointed, by  authority  of  the  queen's  prerogative,  more 
effectually  to  extirpate  heresy}  but  the  court  devised 
a more  expeditious  and  summary  method  of  support 


238 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


rng  orthodoxy  than  even  the  inquisition  itself.  Thcj 
issued  a proclamation  against  books  of  heresy,  treason 
and  sedition,  declaring,  il  that  whosoever  had  any  of 
these  books,  and  did  not  presently  burn  them,  without 
reading  them,  or  showing  them  to  any  other  person, 
should  be  esteemed  rebels  3 and  without  any  farther 
delay  be  executed  by  martial  lavv.,; 

In  the  space  of  three  years,  it  is  computed,  that 
two  hundred  and  seventy-seven  persons  were  brought 
to  the  stake  3 besides  those  who  were  punished  by 
imprisonment,  fines,  and  confiscations.  Among  those 
who  suffered  by  fire  were  five  bishops,  twenty-one 
clergymen,  eight  lay  gentlemen,  eighty-four  trades- 
men, one  hundred  husbandmen,  servants,  and  labour- 
ers, fifty-five  women,  and  four  children. 

The  burning  of  heretics  was  a very  natural  method 
of  reconciling  the  kingdom  to  the  Romish  commun- 
ion ; and  little  solicitation  was  requisite  to  engage  the 
pope  to  receive  the  strayed  flock.  How’ever,  Paul 
IV.,  who  now  filled  the  papal  chair,  insisted  that  the 
property  and  possessions  of  the  church  should  be  re- 
stored to  the  uttermost  farthing.  This  demand  had 
little  influence  on  the  nation,  but  operated  powerful- 
ly on  the  queen,  who  w\as  deteimined,  in  order  to  ease 
her  conscience,  to  restore  all  the  church-lands,  which 
were  still  in  the  possession  of  the  crown  3 and  the 
more  to  display  her  zeal,  she  erected  anew  some  con- 
vents and  monasteries,  notwithstanding  the  low  con- 
dition of  the  exchequer.  When  this  measure  was  de- 
bated in  council  some  members  objected,  that  if  such 
a considerable  part  of  the  revenue  were  dismembered, 
the  dignity  of  the  crown  would  fall  to  decay  ; but  the 
queen  replied,  that  she  preferred  the  salvation  of  her 
soul  to  ten  such  kingdoms  as  England. 

Persecution  had  now  become  extremely  odious  to 
the  nation  3 and  the  effects  of  the  public  discontent 
appeared  in  the  new  parliament  summoned  to  meet  at 
Westminster.  A bill  was  passed,  restoring  to  the 
church  the  tenths  and  first-fruits,  and  all  the  impropri- 
ations which  remained  in  the  hands  of  the  crown  3 but 
though  this  matter  directly  concerned  none  but  the 
queen  hertelf,  great  opposition  was  made  to  the  b il 
in  the  house  of  commons.  An  application  being  made 
for  a subsidy  during  two  years,  and  for  two  fifteenths 


MARY. 


23£ 


the  latter  was  refused  by  the  commons ; and  marv 
members  said,  that  while  the  crown  was  thus  despoil* 
ing  itself  of  its  revenue,  it  was  in  vain  to  bestow  rich- 
es upon  it.  The  queen,  finding  the  intractable  humoui 
of  the  commons,  thought  proper  to  dissolve  the  parlia- 
ment. 

The  spirit  of  opposition  which  prevailed  in  parlia- 
ment, was  the  more  vexatious  to  Mary,  as  Philip,  tir- 
ed of  her  importunate  love  and  jealousy,  and  finding 
his  authority  extremely  limited  in  England,  had  left 
her,  and  gone  over  to  Flanders.  The  indifference  and 
neglect  of  her  husband,  added  to  the  disappointment 
in  her  imagined  pregnancy,  threw  her  into  a deep  mel- 
ancholy 5 and  she  gave  vent  to  her  spleen,  by  daily  en- 
forcing the  persecutions  against  the  protestants,  and 
even  by  expressions  of  rage  against  all  her  subjects, 
by  ^hom  she  knew  herself  to  be  hated,  and  whose 
opposition,  in  refusing  an  entire  compliance  with  Phil- 
ip, was  the  cause,  she  believed,  why  he  had  alienated 
his  affections  from  her,  and  afforded  her  so  little  of  his 
company.  The  less  return  her  love  met  with,  the 
more  it  increased  ; and  she  passed  most  of  her  time 
in  solitude,  where  she  gave  vent  to  her  passion,  either 
in  tears,  or  in  writing  fond  epistles  to  Philip,  who 
seldom  returned  her  any  answer,  and  scarcely  deign- 
ed to  pretend  any  sentiment  of  love  or  even  of  grati- 
tude towards  her.  The  chief  part  of  government  to 
which  she  attended  was  the  extorting  of  money  from 
her  people,  in  order  to  satisfy  his  demands  5 and  as 
tne  parliament  had  granted  her  but  a scanty  supply, 
sne  had  recour&e  to  expedients  very  violent  and  irreg- 
ular. She  levieu  loans  and  exacted  contributions  with 
the  greatest  rapacity  ; and  this  at  a time  when  she  was 
at  peace  with  all  the  world,  and  had  no  other  occasion 
for  money  than  to  supply  the  demands  of  a husband, 
who  attended  only  to  his  own  convenience,  and  show- 
ed himself  indifferent  to  her  interests. 

Philip  was  now  become  master  of  all  the  wealth  of 
, W1  the  new  world,  and  of  the  richest  and  most  ex- 
•*  tensive  dominions  in  Europe,  by  the  voluntary 
resignation  of  the  emperor  Charles  V.,\vho,  though  still 
in  the  vigour  of  his  age,  had  taken  a disgust  to  the 
world,  and  was  determined  to  seek,  in  the  tranquillil) 
of  retreat,  for  that  happiness  which  he  had  in  val. 


210 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


pursued  amidst  the  tumults  of*  war,  and  the  restless 
projects  of  ambition.  Philip,  finding  himself  threat- 
ened with  a war  with  France,  was  desirous  of  embark- 
ing England  in  the  quarrel  ; and  though  the  queen  was 
extremely'averse  to  the  measure,  yet  she  was  incapa- 
ble of  resisting  her  husband’s  importunity.  But  she 
had  little  weight  with  her  council,  and  still  less  with 
her  people  ; and  a new  act  of  barbarity,  of  which  she 
was  guilty,  rendered  her  government  extremely  unpop- 
ular. 

Cranmer  had  long  been  detained  prisoner ; but  the 
queen  now  determined  to  bring  him  to  punishment: 
and  in  order  the  more  fully  to  satiate  her  vengeance, 
she  resolved  to  punish  him  for  heresy,  rather  than  for 
treason.  He  was  cited  by  the  pope  to  stand  his  trial 
at  Rome  3 and  though  he  was  known  to  be  kept  in 
close  custody  at  Oxford,  he  was,  upon  his  not  appear- 
ing, condemned  as  contumacious.  Bonner,  bishop  of 
London,  Thirleby  of  Ely,  were  sent  to  degrade  him, 
and  the  former  executed  the  melancholy  ceremony 
with  all  the  joy  and  exultation  which  suited  his  sav- 
age nature.  The  implacable  spirit  of  the  queen,  not 
satisfied'with  the  execution  of  that  dreadful  sentence 
to  which  he  was  condemned,  prompted  her  to  seoi 
the  ruin  of  his  honour,  and  the  infamy  of  his  name 
Persons  were  employed  to  attack  him  by  flattery,  in 
sinuation,  and  address  5 by  representing  the  dignities 
to  which  his  character  still  entitled  him,  if  he  would 
merit  them  by  a recantation  : and  by  giving  hopes  of 
long  enjoying  those  powerful  friends  whom  his  benefi- 
cent disposition  had  attached  to  him  during  the  course 
of  his  prosperity.  Overcome  by  the  fond  love  of  life 
and  terrified  by  the  prospect  of  those  tortures  which 
awaited  him,  he  allowed,  in  an  unguarded  hour,  the 
sentiments  of  nature  to  prevail  over  his  resolution, 
and  agreed  to  subscribe  the  doctrines  of  the  papal  su- 
premacy, and  of  the  real  presence.  The  court,  equally 
perfidious  and  cruel,  were  determined  that  his  recan- 
tation should  avail  him  nothing  ; and  they  sent  him 
orders  that  he  should  be  required  to  acknowledge  his 
errors  in  church  before  the  whole  people,  and  that  he 
should  thence  be  immediately  carried  to  execution 
Whether  Cranmer  had  received  a secret  intimation  of 
their  design,  or  had  repented  of  his  weakness,  he  sur- 


MARY. 


241 

prised  the  audience  by  a contrary  declaration.  He 
said,  that  he  was  well  apprized  of  the  obedience  which 
he  owed  to  his  sovereign  and  the  laws;  but  this  duty 
extended  no  farther  than  to  submit  patiently  to  their 
commands,  and  to  bear,  without  resistance,  whatever 
hardships  they  should  impose  upon  him  3 that  a supe- 
rior duty,  the  duty  which  he  owed  to  his  Maker,  oblig- 
ed him  to  speak  truth  on  all  occasions,  and  not  relin- 
quish, by  a base  denial,  the  holy  doctrine  which  the 
Supreme  Being  had  revealed  to  mankind:  that  there 
was  one  miscarriage  in  his  life,  of  which  above  all 
others,  he  severely  repented  5 the  insincere  declara- 
tion of  faith  to  which  he  had  the  weakness  to  consent, 
and  which  the  fear  of  death  alone  had  extorted  from 
him  : that  he  took  this  opportunity  of  atoning  for  his  er- 
ror by  a sincere  and  open  recantation  ; and  was  willing 
to  seal  with  his  blood,  that  doctrine  which  he  firmly  Re- 
lieved to  be  communicated  from  heaven  5 and  that,  as 
his  hand  had  erred,  by  betraying  his  heart,  it  should 
first  be  punished,  by  a severe  but  just  doom,  and  should 
first  pay  the  forfeit  of  its  offences.  He  was  thence 
led  to  the  stake,  amidst  the  insults  of  the  catholics  j 
and  having  now  summoned  up  all  the  force  of  his 
mind,  he  bore  their  scorn,  as  well  as  the  torture  of  his 
punishment,  with  singular  fortitude.  He  stretched 
out  his  hand*,  and,  without  betraying,  either  by  his 
countenance,  or  motions,  the  least  sign  of  weakness, 
or  even  of  feeling,  he  held  it  in  the  flames  till  it  was 
entirely  consumed.  His  thoughts  seemed  wholly  oc- 
cupied with  reflections  on  his  former  fault,  and  he 
called  aloud  several  times,  u This  hand  has  offended.’’ 
Satisfied  with  that  atonement,  he  then  discovered  a 
serenity  in  his  countenance  5 and  when  the  fire  attack- 
ed his  body,  he  seemed  to  be  quite  insensible  of  his 
outward  sufferings,  and  by  the  force  of  hope  and  reso- 
lution, to  have  collected  his  mind  altogether  within 
itself,  and  to  repel  the  fury  of  the  flames.  It  js  pre- 
tended, that  after  his  body  was  consumed,  his  heart 
^vas  found  entire  and  untouched  amidst  the  ashes  5 an 
event  which,  as  it  was  the  emblem  of  his  constancy, 
was  fondly  believed  by  the  zealous  protestants.  Cran- 
mer  was  undoubtedly  a man  of  great  merit.  He  was 
adorned  with  candour,  sincerity,  and  beneficence,  and 
all  those  virtues  which  were  fitted  to  render  him  use 

VOL.  1.  16 


242  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

ful  and  amiable  in  society.  His  moral  qualities  pro- 
cured him  universal  respect;  and  his  learning  and 
capacity  entitled  hitn  to  the  esteem  of  mankind. 

After  Cranmer’s  death,  cardinal  Pole  was  installed 
in  the  see  of  Canterbury,  and  placed  at  the  head  of 
the  church  of  England ; but,  though  he  was  averse  to 
all  sanguinary  methods  of  converting  heretics,  his  au- 
thority was  too  weak  to  oppose  the  barbarous  and  big- 
oted disposition  of  the  queen  and  her  counsellors. 
In  order  to  engage  the  nation  in  the  war  between 
France  and  Spain,  Philip  had  come  to  London ; and 
he  told  the  queen,  that  if  he  were  not  gratified  in  this 
request,  he  would  never  more  set  foot  in  England. 

After  employing  menaces  and  artifices,  Mary’s 
■*  importunity  prevailed  ; war  was  declared  against 
France  ; and  preparations  were  made  for  invading  that 
kingdom. 

The  revenue  of  England  at  that  time  little  exceed- 
ed three  hundred  thousand  pounds ; and  in  order  to 
support  the  war,  the  queen  levied  money  by  the  most 
arbitrary  and  violent  methods.  She.  obliged  the  city 
of  London  to  supply  her  with  sixty  thousand  pounds 
on  her  husband’s  entry  ; she  levied,  before  the  legal 
time,  the  second  year’s  subsidy  voted  by  parliament: 
she  issued  anew  many  privy-seals,  by  which  she  pro- 
cured loans  from  the  people;  and  having  equipped  a 
fleet,  which  she  could  not  victual,  by  reason  of  the 
dearness  of  provisions,  she  seized  all  the  corn  she 
could  find  in  Suffolk  and  Norfolk,  without  paying  any 
price  to  the  owners.  By  all  these  expedients,  assist- 
ed by  the  power  of  pressing,  she  levied  an  army  of 
ten  thousand  men,  which  she  sent  over  to  the  Low 
Countries,  under  the  command  of  the  earl  of  Pem- 
broke. Meanwhile,  in  order  to  preVent  any  disturb- 
ance at  home,  many  of  the  most  considerable  gentry 
were  thrown  into  the  Tower;  and  lest  they  should  be 
known,  they  either  were  earned  thither  in  the  night- 
time, or  were  hood-winked  and  muffled  by  the  guards 
who  conducted  them. 

The  king  of  Spain’s  army,  after  the  junction  of  the 
English,  amounted  to  sixty  thousand  men ; and  the 
duke  of  Savoy,  who  commanded  it,  suddenly  invested 
St.  Quintin.  The  constable,  Montmorency,  approach- 
ed the  place  with  his  whole  army ; but  being  attacked 


MARY. 


by  the  besiegers,  he  was  totally  defeated  and  made 
prisoner.  By  this  event,  the  wnole  kingdom  of  France 
was  thrown  into  consternation  ; but  the  cautious  tem- 
per of  Philip  allowed  the  fiench  time  to  recover  their 
spirits,  and  no  other  enterprise  of  moment  followed 
this  decisive  victory. 

Calais,  which  the  English  had  held  above  two  hun- 
1 ^red  years,  was  unexpectedly  invested,  and  at- 

° J tacked  by  the  duke  of  Guise,  who  in  eight  days, 
during  the  depth  of  winter,  made  himself  master  of 
this  strong  fortress,  though  it  had  cost  Edward  III.  a 
siege  of  eleven  months,  at  the  head  of  a numerous  ar- 
my, which  had  that  very  year  been  victorious  in  the 
battle  of  Cressy.  The  loss  of  this  valuable  fortress 
occasioned  loud  murmurs  among  the  English,  who  com- 
plained of  the  improvidence  of  the  queen  and  her 
council. 

The  Scots,  excited  by  the  French,  began  to  infest 
the  borders  5 and  the  English  were  obliged  to  look  to 
their  defence  at  home,  rather  than  think  of  foreign 
conquests.  In  order  to  connect  Scotland  more  closely 
with  France,  and  to  increase  the  influence  of  the  lat- 
ter kingdom,  it  was  thought  proper  by  Henry  to  cele- 
brate the  marriage  between  the  young  queen  and  the 
dauphin  5 and  a deputation  was  sent  by  the  Scottish 
parliament  to  assist  at  the  ceremony,  and  to  settle  the 
terms  of  the  contract. 

This  close  alliance  between  France  and  Scotland 
threatened  very  nearly  the  repose  and  security  of  Ma- 
ry 5 and  it  was  foreseen,  that  though  the  factions  and 
disorders  which  might  naturally  be  expected  in  the 
Scottish  government,  during  the  absence  of  the  sove- 
reign, would  make  its  power  less  formidable,  that 
kingdom  would  at  least  afford  to  the  French  a means 
of  invading  England.  The  queen,  therefore,  found  it 
necessary  to  summon  a parliament,  and  to  demand  of 
them  some  supplies  to  her  exhausted  exchequer.  The 
commons,  without  making  any  reflections  on  the  past 
exactions  and  extortions,  voted,  besides  a fifteenth,  a 
subsidy  of  four  shillings  in  the  pound  on  land,  and  two 
shillings  and  eight  pence  on  goods.  The  parliament 
also  passed  an  act,  confirming  all  the  sales  and  grants 
»f  crownlands,  which  either  were  already  made  by 
the  queen,  or  should  be  made  during  the  seven  eiisu« 
ing  years. 


244  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

During  this  whole  reign,  the  nation  were  undei 
great  apprehensions  with  regard  not  only  to  the  suc- 
cession, but  the  life  of  the  lady  Elizabeth.  The  vio- 
lent hatred  which  the  queen  bore  to  her  appeared  on 
every  occasion  3 and  it  required  all  the  prudence  of 
that  princess  to  prevent  the  effects  of  Mary’s  jealous 
disposition.  Being  asked  her  opinion  of  the  real  pres 
ence,  the  net  for  catching  the  protestants,  she  is  said 
to  have  replied  as  follows : 

“ Christ  was  the  word  that  spake  it, 

He  took  the  bread  and  brake  it  3 
And  what  the  word  did  make  it, 

That  1 believe  and  take  it.” 

The  money  granted  by  parliament  enabled  the  queen 
to  fit  out  a fleet  of  a hundred  and  forty  sail,  which  being 
joined  by  thirty  Flemish  ships,  and  carrying  six  thou- 
sand land  forces  on  board,  was  sent  to  make  an  attempt 
on  the^coast  of  Brittany.  Negotiations  for  peace  were 
entered  into  between  the  kings  of  France  and  Spain ; 
and  the  armies  in  Picardy  were  put  in  winter  quar- 
ters till  the  princes  should  come  to  some  agreement. 
Among  other  conditions,  Henry  demanded  the  resti- 
tution of  Navarre  to  its  lawful  owner  5 Philip,  that  of 
Calais  and  its  territory  to  England  3 but  in  the  midst 
of  these  negotiations,  news  arrived  of  Mary’s  death. 
She  had  long  been  in  a declining  state  of  health  3 and 
the  loss  of  Calais,  and  the  absence  of  her  husband, 
I ~p.pi  brought  on  a lingering  fever,  of  which  she  died, 
00  •*  after  a short  and  inglorious  reign  of  five  years, 
four  months,  and  eleven  days. 

Mary  possessed  few  qualities  either  estimable  or 
amiable  j and  her  person  was  as  little  engaging  as  her 
behaviour  and  address.  Obstinacy,  bigotry,  violence, 
cruelty,  malignity,  revenge,  and  tyranny,  the  fruits  of 
bad  temper,  and  a narrow  understanding,  attach  to  her 
character  j and  amidst  this  complication  of  vices,  we 
can  find  no  other  virtue  than  that  of  sincerity. 

Under  her  reign,  the  naval  power  of  England  was 
so  inconsiderab1^  that  fourteen  thousand  pounds  be- 
ing ordered  to  tne  repairing  and  victualling  of  the  fleet, 
it  was  computed  that  ten  thousand  pounds  a-) ear 
would  afterwards  answer  all  necessary  charges. 


ELIZABETH. 


215 


CHAPTER  XII. 


The  reign  of  Elizabeth. 

Elizabeth  had  displayed  great  prudence  during 
the  reign  of  her  sister  3 and  as  men  were  sensible  of 
the  imminent  danger  to  which  she  was  exposed,  com- 
passion towards  her  situation,  and  concern  for  her 
safety,  had  rendered  her  the  favourite  of  the  nation. 
A parliament  had  been  assembled  a few  days  before 
.(..q,  Mary’s  death  5 and  when  that  event  was  notifi- 
ed  to  them,  scarcely  an  interval  of  regret  appear- 
ed : the  two  houses  immediately  resounded  with  the 
joyful  acclamations  of  “ God  save  queen  Elizabeth  ; 
long  and  happily  may  she  reign  !”  The  people,  less 
actuated  by  faction,  expressed  a joy  still  more  gener- 
al and  sincere.  With  a prudence  and  magnanimity 
truly  laudable,  Elizabeth  buried  all  offences  in  obliv- 
ion 3 but  when  the  bishops  came  to  make  obeisance  to 
her,  she  turned  away  from  Bonner,  as  from  a man  pol- 
luted with  blood. 

In  notifying  her  accession  to  Phili-p,  she  expressed 
to  him  her  gratitude  for  the  protection  which  he  had 
afforded  her  3 and  that  monarch,  hoping  by  means  of 
Elizabeth  to  obtain  that  dominion  over  England  of 
which  he  had  failed  in  espousing  Mary,  made  hei  pro- 
posals of  marriage.  To  these,  however,  she  returned 
an  obliging,  but  evasive  answer. 

The  education  and  conviction  of  Elizabeth  deter- 
mined her  to  pursue  the  measures  of  the  reformation  5 
and  she  frequently  deliberated  with  sir  William  Cecil 
on  the  means  of  restoring  the  protestant  religion  3 but 
she  resolved  to  proceed  with  cautious  steps,  and  not 
to  imitate  the  example  of  Mary,  in  encouraging  a vio- 
lent invasion  on  the  established  religion.  She  recal- 
led those  who  had  fled  5 she  set  at  libeity  tho»*. 
had  been  confined  on  account  of  religion  3 she  order- 
ed a great  part,  of  the  service  to  be  read  in  English  j 
and  after  enjoining  all  the  churches  to  conform  to  the 
practice  of  her  own  chapel,  she  forbade  the  host  to  be 
any  more  elevated  in  her  presence.  By  her  affability 
end  address  she  gained  the  affections  of  her  subjects* 


246 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


and  she  delayed  the  entire  change  of  religion  til 
the  meeting  of  the  parliament,  which  was  summoned 
to  assemble. 

The  elections  had  gone  entirely  against  the  catho- 
lics , and  the  houses  met  in  a disposition  to  gratify 
the  queen.  They  began  the  session  with  an  unani- 
mous declaration,  “ that  queen  Elizabeth  was,  and 
ought  to  be,  as  well  by  the  word  of  God,  as  the  com- 
mon and  statute  laws  of  the  realm,  the  lawful,  undoubt- 
ed, and  true  heir  to  the  crown,  lawfully  descended 
from  the  blood-royal,  according  to  the  order  of  succes- 
sion settled  in  the  thirty-fifth  of  Henry  VIII.' ’*  This 
act  of  recognition  was  probably  dictated  by  the  queen 
herself  and  her  ministers  ; and  she  did  not  follow  the 
example  of  Mary,  in  declaring  the  validity  of  her 
mother’s  marriage,  or  in  expressly  repealing  the  act 
formerly  passed  against  her  own  legitimacy. 

The  first  bill  brought  into  parliament  was  for  sup- 
pressing the*  monasteries  lately  erected,  and  for  re- 
storing the  tenths  and  first-fruits  to  the  queen.  This 
point  being  gained,  a bill  was  next  passed,  annexing 
the  supremacy  to  the  crown,  which  was  vested  with 
the  whole  spiritual  power  5 and  whoever  denied,  or 
refused  to  acknowledge  the  queen’s  supremacy,  was 
subjected  to  certain  pains  and  penalties.  A law  was 
passed,  confirming  all  the  statutes  enacted  in  king  Ed- 
ward’s time  with  regard  to  religion. 

A solemn  and  public  disputation  was  held  during 
this  session,  between  the  divines  of  the  protestant 
and  those  of  the  catholic  communion,  in  which,  it 
may  be  easily  imagined,  the  champions  of  the  former 
were  entirely  triumphant.  Emboldened  by  this  vic- 
tory, the  protestants  ventured  on  bringing  a bill  into 
parliament  for  abolishing  the  mass,  and  re-establishing 
the  liturgy  of  king  Edward.  Thus  in  one  session, 
without  any  violence  or  tumult,  the  whole  system 
of  religion  was  changed,  and  placed  on  another  foun- 

Vue  commons  also  voted  the  queen  a liberal  subsi- 
dy j bu*  when,  in  an  importunate  address,  they  besough< 
her  to  fix  her  choice  of  a husband,  she  rejected  the 
proposal,  and  observed  that  England  was  her  husband 
and  the  people  her  children.  She  added,  that  she  de 
sired  no  higher  character  than  to  have  it  inscribed  or 


ELIZABETH.  247 

her  tombstone,  a Here  lies  Elizabeth,  who  fired  and 
died  a maiden  queen.” 

WhiLe  the  queen  and  parliament  were  employed  in 
settling  the  national  religion,  negotiations  for  peace 
were  carried  on  between  the  ministers  of  France, 
Spain,  and  England.  Philip  employed  his  utmost 
efforts  to  procure  a restitution  of  Calais  to  England, 
So  long  as  he  entertained  hopes  of  espousing  the 
queen,  he  delayed  to  conclude  a peace  with  Henry  ; 
and  he  seemed  willing  to  continue  the  war  till  she 
should  obtain  satisfaction.  But  Elizabeth,  sensible 
of  the  low  state  of  her  finances,  ordered  her  ambassa- 
dors to  conclude  a peace  with  Henry  on  any  reasona- 
ble terms.  It  was  agreed,  that  Henry  should  restore 
Calais  at  the  expiration  of  eight  years ; but  it  was  ev- 
ident, that  this  was  only  a colourable  pretence  for 
abandoning  that  fortress.  A peace  with  Scotland 
was  a necessary  consequence  of  that  with  France. 

But  though  peace  was  concluded  between  France 
and  England,  there  soon  appeared  serious  grounds  for 
misunderstanding.  The  king  of  France  ordered  his 
son  and  daughter-in-law  to  quarter  the  arms  of  Eng- 
land on  all  their  equipages  and  liveries;  and  as  the 
queen  of  Scots  was  next  heir  to  that  throne,  Elizabeth 
plainly  saw,  that  the  king  of  France  intended,  on  the 
first  opportunity,  to  dispute  her  legitimacy,  and  her 
title  to  the  crown.  Soon  after  Francis  II.  succeeded 
to  the  throne  of  France,  and  still  continuing  to  assume 
without  reserve  the  title  of  king  of  England,  she  be- 
gan to  consider  him  and  his  queen  as  her  mortal  ene- 
mies ; and  the  jealousy  thus  excited  against  the  queen 
of  Scots  terminated  only  with  the  life  of  the  unfortun- 
ate Mary.  • 

The  present  situation  of  affairs  in  Scotland  afford 
ed  Elizabeth  a favourable  opportunity  both  of  reveng- 
ing the  injury,  and  providing  for  her  own  safety. 
Popery  was  still  the  religion  of  the  state  in  that  coun- 
try; but  the  English  preachers,  who  took  shelter  in 
Scotland  on  the  accession  of  Mary  to  the  throne  of 
England,  had  filled  the  whole  kingdom  with  horror 
at  the  cruelties  of  the  catholics  ; and  by  their  means 
the  reformation  in  that  country  had  acquired  addition 
&1  strength,  and  even  threatened  the  established  refi 
gion. 


248  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

About  this  critical  time,  when  the  queen-regent, 
agreeably  to  the  orders  leceived  from  France,  had 
been  proceeding  with  rigour  against  the  protestants, 
John  Knox  arrived  from  Geneva,  where  he  had  imbi 
bed  from  his  commerce  with  Calvin,  the  highest  fa- 
naticism of  his  sect,  augmented  by  the  natural  feroci- 
ty of  his  own  character.  He  had  been  invited  back 
to  Scotland  by  the  leaders  of  the  reformation  ; and 
mounting  the  pulpit  at  Perth,  during  the  present  fer- 
ment of  men’s  minds,  he  declaimed  against  the  idola- 
try and  other  abominations  of  the  church  of  Rome, 
and  incited  his  audience  to  exert  themselves  for  its 
subversion.  A tumult  immediately  succeeded  ; and, 
in  a short  time,  a civil  war  raged  through  the  whole 
kingdom. 

The  leaders  of  the  reformers,  who  had  assumed  the 
title  of  the  congregation,  solicited  succours  from  Eliz- 
abeth ; and  the  wise  council  of  the  queen  did  not  long 
deliberate  in  agreeing  to  this  request.  She  equipped 
a fleet,  which  consisted  of  thirteen  ships  of  war  ; and 
she  assembled  at  Berwick  an  army  of  eight  thousand 
men,  under  the  Command  of  lord  Grey,  warden  of  the 
east  and  middle  marches.  The  court  of  France,  sen- 
sible of  the  danger,  offered  the  immediate  restitution 
of  Calais,  provided  she  would  not  interfere  in  the  af- 
fairs of  Scotland  j but  she  resolutely  replied,  that  she 
would  never  put  an  inconsiderable  fishing-town  in 
competition  with  the  safety  of  her  dominions.  Ac- 
cordingly, she  concluded  a treaty  of  mutual  defence 
with  the  congregation,  and  receiving  from  the  Scots 
six  hostages  for  the  performance  of  articles,  she  order- 
ed her  fleet  and  army  to  begin  their  operations. 

The  appearance  of  the  English  soon  decided  the 
15601  **ate  contest;  and  a treaty  was  speedily 

J concluded,  in  which  it  was  stipulated  that  the 
French  should  immediately  evacuate  Scotland,  and 
that  an  amnesty  should  be  granted  for  all  past  offen- 
ces. Soon  after,  the  parliament  abolished  the  papal 

1‘urisdiction  in  Scotland,  and  established  the  pres, 
►yterian  form  of  discipline,  though  Mary  refused  tu 
sanction  their  statutes. 

Francis  IV.  died  soon  after,  and  Mary,  finding  hef 
abode  in  France  disagreeable,  began  to  think  of  re- 
turning to  her  native  country ; and  she  applied  to  Eliz 


ELIZABETH. 


24-9 


abeth  for  a safe  conduct,  in  case  she  should  be  obli- 
ged to  pass  through  England  ; but  she  received  for  an- 
swer, that  till  she  had  ratified  the  treaty  of  Edinburgh, 
she  could  expect  no  favour  from  a person  whom  she 
had  so  much  injured.  To  this  Mary  replied  with  in- 
dignation, “ With  God’s  permission,  1 can  return  to 
Scotland  without  her  leave  and  embarking  at  Cala- 
is, she  passed  the  English  fleet  in  a fog,  and  arrived 
safely  ^t  Leith.  Though  a widow,  yet  she  was  only 
in  her  nineteenth  year  j and  by  her  beauty,  and  the 
politeness  of  her  manners,  she  was  well  qualified  to 
gain  the  affections  of  her  subjects,  who  rejoiced  at  her 
arrival  among  them.  Her  first  measures  were  calcu- 
lated to  establish  order  in  a country  divided  by  public 
factions  and  private  feuds  ; but  there  was  one  circum- 
stance which  bereaved  Mary  of  the  general  favour 
that  her  agreeable  manners  and  judicious  deportment 
entitled  her  to  expect.  She  was  still  a papist  ; and 
this  exposed  the  helpless  queen  to  unmerited  con- 
tumely, which  she  bore  with  benignity  and  patience. 
In  particular,  John  Knox,  who  possessed  an  uncontrol- 
led authority  in  the  church,  and  even  in  the  civil  affairs 
of  the  nation,  triumphed  in  the  contumelious  abuse 
of  his  sovereign,  whom  he  usually  denominated  Jez- 
ebel. 

The  queen  of  Scots,  destitute  of  the  means  of  re- 
sistance, and  pressed  by  a turbulent  nobility  and  a big 
oted  people,  found  that  her  only  expedient  for  main- 
taining tranquillity  was  the  preservation  of  a friendly 
connexion  with  Elizabeth.  Secretary  Lidington  was, 
therefore,  sent  to  London  to  pay  her  compliments  to 
the  queen,  and  express  her  desire  of  friendship  and  a 
good  correspondence ; and  both  sovereigns  assumed 
the  appearances  of  a cordial  reconciliation  and  friend- 
ship with  each  other. 

Elizabeth,  finding  that  Mary  was  sufficiently  de- 
pressed by  the  mutinous  spirit  of  her  subjects,  employ- 
ed herself  in  regulating  the  affairs  of  her  own  king- 
dom. She  furnished  the  arsenals  w'ith  arms,  fortified 
the  frontiers,  promoted  trade  and  navigation,  and  by 
building  vessels  of  force  herself,  and  suggesting  the 
same  to  the  merchants,  she  acquired  to  herself  the 
titles  of  the  restorer  of  naval  glory,  and  the  queen  of 
the  northern  seas. 


250 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Though  Elizabeth  kept  aloof  from  marriage,  yet  she 
was  not  only  very  averse  to  appoint  any  successor  to 
the  crown,  but  was  resolved,  as  much  as  was  in  her 
power,  that  no  one,  who  could  pretend  to  the  succes- 
sion, should  have  any  heirs  or  successors.  The  lady 
Catherine  Grey,  younger  sister  to  lady  Jane,  having 
privately  married  the  earl  of  Hertford,  and  proving 
pregnant,  they  were  both  committed  to  the  Tower. 
As  Hertford  could  not  prove  their  nuptials  within  the 
time  limited,  the  issue  was  declared  illegitimate  3 and 
the  earl  was  confined  for  nine  years,  till  the  death  of 
his  wife,  by  freeing  the  queen  from  all  apprehension 
of  heirs  and  claimants  from  that  quarter,  procured  him 
his  liberty. 

At  this  time,  the  two  great  rival  powers  of  Europe 
were  Spain  and  England.  The  bigotry  and  intolerant 
i ^ro-i  spirit  of  Philip  placed  him  at  the  head  of  the 
catholic  party;  while  Elizabeth,  from  her  reli- 
gious opinions,  and  the  conduct  which  she  pursued, 
was  considered  as  the  bulwark  and  support  of  the  pro- 
testants.  The  civil  and  religious  contests  by  which 
France  was  divided,  rendered  that  country  an  object 
of  vigilance  both  to  Philip  and  Elizabeth  : the  former 
supported  the  established  government  and  religion  ; 
while  the  latter  lent  her  aid  in  protecting  the  Hugo- 
nots,  or  protestant  party,  which  had  taken  arms  under 
the  prince  of  Conde.  Three  thousand  English  took 
possession  of  Havre  and  Dieppe  3 but  the  latter  place 
was  so  little  capable  of  defence,  that  it  was  immedi- 
ately abandoned.  The  siege  of  Rouen  was  already 
formed  by  the  catholics  3 and  though  the  English 
troops  in  it  behaved  with  great  gahantry,  the  place 
was  taken  by  assault,  and  the  whole  garrison  put  to  the 
sword. 

It  was  expected  that  the  French  catholics  would 
immediately  have  formed  the  siege  of  Havre  ; but  the 
intestine  divisions  of  the  kingdom  diverted  their  at- 
tention to  another  object.  By  the  influence  of  Elis® 
beth,  a considerable  body  of  protestants  had  been  lev 
ied  in  Germany  ; and  the  Hugonots  were  enabled  to 
take  field  against  their  enemies.  A famous  battle  was 
fought  at  Dreux;  and  in  this  action,  Conde  and  Mont 
morency,  the  commanders  of  the  opposite  armies,  by  a 
singular  fatality,  fell  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies 


ELIZABETH. 


251 


The  appearances  of  victory  remained  with  Guise  ; but 
the  admiral  Coligni,  collecting  the  remains  of  the  ar- 
my, and  inspiring  every  breast  with  his  own  invinci- 
ble courage,  subdued  some  considerable  places  in 
Normandy. 

The  expenses  incurred  by  assisting  the  Hugonots 
had  emptied  the  queen's  exchequer,  and  obliged  her 
^ ca^  a parliament.  As  the  life  of  Elizabeth 
° v -■  had  been  endangered  by  the  smali-pox,  a little 
before  the  meeting  of  that  assembly,  the  commons,  on 
the  opening  of  the  session,  again  entreated  the  queen 
to  choose  a husband,  whom  they  promised  faithfully 
to  serve  ; or,  if  she  entertained  any  reluctance  to  the 
married  state,  they  desired  that  the  lawful  successor 
might  be  appointed  by  an  act  of  parliament. 

This  subject  was  very  little  agreeable  to  the  queen, 
who,  considering  the  inconveniences  likely  to  arise 
from  declaring  in  favour  either  of  the  queen  of  Scots 
or  the  house  of  Suffolk,  determined  to  keep  both  par- 
ties in  awe  by  maintaining  an  ambiguous  conduct 
She  gave,  therefore,  an  evasive  answer  to  the  com- 
mons, whom  she  told,  that  she  had  fixed  no  absolute 
resolution  against  marriage  ; that  the  difficulties  at- 
tending the  question  of  the  succession  were  so  gre-at, 
that,  for  the  sake  of  her  people,  she  would  be  content- 
ed to  remain  some  time  longer  in  this  vale  of  misery; 
and  that  she  could  not  die  with  satisfaction,  till  she 
had  laid  some  solid  foundation  for  their  future  secu- 
rity. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  duke  of  Guise  had  been  as- 
sassinated before  Orleans,  and  Conde  aud  Montmoren- 
cy had  c^me  to  an  agreement,  that  a toleration  should 
be  granted  anew  to  the  protestants.  The  interests  of 
England  were  disregarded  in  the  treaty  3 and  Havre, 
which  had  been  some  time  in  possession  of  the  Eng- 
lish, was  obliged  to  capitulate  to  the  arms  of  France. 
Elizabeth,  whose  usual  vigour  and  foresight  do  not  ap- 
pear in  this  transaction,  was  now  glad  to  compound 
matters,  by  agreeing  that  the  hostages  which  the 
French  had  previously  given  for  the  restitution  of  Ca- 
lais, should  be  restored  on  the  payment  of  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty  thousand  crowns,  and  that  both  sides 
should  retain  all  their  claims  and  pretensions. 

The  peace  with  Scotland  still  continued  ; and  even 


252  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

a cordial  friendship  seemed  to  have  been  cemented 
between  Elizabeth  and  Mary.  She  always  told  the 
queen  of  Scots,  that  nothing  would  satisfy  her  but  her 
espousing  some  English  nobleman,  which  would  re- 
move all  grounds  of  jealousy  and  misunderstanding 
between  them.  At  last  she  named  lord  Robert  Dud- 
ley, now  created  earl  of  Leicester,  as  the  person  on 
whom  she  desired  that  Mary's  choice  should  fall. 

Leicester,  the  great  and  powerful  favourite  of  Eliz- 
abeth, possessed  all  those  exterior  qualities  which  are 
naturally  alluring  to  the  fair  sex  ; and,  by  means  of 
these  accomplishments,  he  was  able  to  blind  the  sa- 
gacious Elizabeth,  and  to  conceal  from  her  the  great 
defects  which  marked  his  character.  He  was  proud, 
insolent,  and  ambitious,  without  honour  or  principle. 
The  constant  and  declared  attachment  of  Elizabeth  to 
him,  had  emboldened  him  to  aspire  to  her  bed ; and 
the  proposal  of  espousing  Mary  was  by  no  means 
agreeable  to  him.  Indeed,  it  is  probable,  that  the 
queen  had  no  serious  intention  of  effecting  this  mar- 
riage, and  that  her  design  was  merely  to  gain  time, 
and  elude  the  project  of  any  other  alliance  3 for  when 
Mary,  in  the  hopes  of  being  declared  successor  to  the 
crown,  seemed  to  listen  to  the  proposal,  Elizabeth  re- 
ceded from  her  offers,  and  withdrew  the  bait  which 
she  had  thrown  out  to  her  rival. 

After  two  years  spent  in  evasions  and  artifices,  Ma- 
ry married  lord  Darnley,  son  to  the  earl  of  Lenox,  her 
cousin-german,  by  the  lady  Margaret  Douglas,  niece 
to  Henry  VIII,;  and  as  he  was,  after  his  spouse,  next 
heir  to  the  crown  of  England,  this  marriage  seemed  to 
strengthen  and  unite  both  their  claims. 

Elizabeth  was  secretly  not  displeased  with  this  mar- 
riage, though  she  would  rather  have  wished  that  Mary 
had  remained  single;  yet  she  menaced,  protested  and 
complained,  as  if  she  had  suffered  the  most  grievous 
injury.  It  served  her  as  a pretence  for  refusing  to  ac- 
knowledge Mary's  title  to  the  succession  of  England, 
and  for  encouraging  the  discontents  of  the  Scottish 
nobility  and  clergy,  to  whom  she  promised  support  in 
their  rebellious  enterprises. 

Mary,  however,  was  no  sooner  informed  of  the  de- 
signs forming  against  her  by  the  duke  of  Chatelrauit 
the  earls  of  Murray,  Argyle,  Rotbes,  and  Gluncaiin 


ELIZABETH. 


253 

ftad  some  others,  than  she  .assembled  her  forces  and 
obliged  those  rebel  noblemen  to  leave  their  country 
and  take  shelter  in  England. 

Elizabeth,  when  she  found  the  event  so  much  to 
disappoint  her  expectations,  disavowed  all  connexions 
with  the  Scottish  malcontents,  and  even  drove  them 
from  her  presence.  The  banished  lords  had  now  re- 
course to  the  clemency  of  their  own  sovereign  ; and 
Mary  seemed  inclined  to  restore  them  to  favour  3 but 
her  uncle,  the  cardinal  of  Lorraine,  to  whose  opinion 
she  always  paid  the  greatest  deference,  advised  her 
by  no  means  to  pardon  the  protestant  leaders. 

The  cardinal  of  Lorraine  had  been  a chief  instru 
ment  in  forming  an  association  between  Philip  and 
Catherine  of  Medicis,  for  the  extermination  of  the 
protestants  ; and  he  took  care  that  the  measures  of 
the  queen  of  Scots  should  correspond  with  the  violent 
counsels  embraced  by  the  other  catholic  princes.  A 
parliament  was  summoned  at  Edinburgh  for  attainting 
the  banished  lords,  who  were  saved  from  the  rigour 
of  the  law  only  by  the  ruin  of  Mary  herself. 

The  marriage  of  the  queen  of  Scots  with  lord  Darn- 
ley  was  so  precipitate,  that  while  she  was  allured  by 
his  youth  and  beauty,  and  exterior  accomplishments, 
she  had  not  observed  that  the  qualities  of  his  mind  by 
no  means  corresponded  with  the  excellence  of  his 
person.  He  was  violent,  insolent,  and  ungrateful  3 
addicted  to  low  pleasures,  and  incapable  of  the  senti 
ments  of  love  and  domestic  endearment.  The  queen 
of  Scots,  in  the  first  effusions  of  her  fondness,  had 
granted  him  the  title  of  king,  and  had  joined  his  name 
with  her  own  in  all  public  acts  3 but  observing  his 
weakness  and  vices,  she  began  to  see  the  danger  of 
her  profuse  liberality  5 and  the  young  prince,  enraged 
at  her  imaginary  neglects,  pointed  his  vengeance 
against  every  one  whom  he  deemed  the  cause  of  this 
change  in  her  measures  and  behaviour. 

There  happened  to  be  in  the  court  one  David  Riz- 
zio*,  a Piedmontese  musician,  of  mean  birth,  who,  by 
his  professional  talents,  and  the  arts  of  address,  had 
insinuated  himself  into  the  favour  of  Mary.  He  be- 
came her  secretary  for  French  despatches  3 he  was 
consulted  on  all  occasions  3 favours  of  honour  01 
emolument  could  be  obtained  only  through  his  inter 


254  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

cession;  and  his  insolence  and  rapacity  drew  on  him- 
self the  hatred  of  the  nobility  and  of  the  whole  king- 
dom. 

On  the  change  of  the  queen’s  sentiments,  it  was  ea 
sy  for  Darnley’s  friends  to  persuade  him  that  Rizzic 
was  the  real  author  of  her  indifference,  and  even  to 
excite  in  his  mind  jealousies  of  a more  dangerous  na- 
ture; and  the  king,  by  the  advice  of  several  of  the 
courtiers,  determined  on  the  assassination  of  Rizzio. 
Mary,  in  the  sixth  month  of  her  pregnancy,  was  sup- 
ping in  private  with  the  countess  of  Argyle,  Rizzio, 
and  others  of  her  servants,  when  the  king  entered  the 
room  by  a private  passage,  and  stood  at  the  back  of 
Mary’s  chair.  Lord  Ruthven,  George  Douglas,  and 
other  conspirators,  rushed  in  after  him  ; and  Rizzio, 
aware  of  the  danger,  ran  behind  his  mistress  for  pro- 
tection; but  in  spite  of  her  cries,  and  menaces,  and 
entreaties,  Douglas  struck  a dagger  into  the  body  of 
Rizzio,  who  was  then  dragged  into  the  anti-chamber, 
and  despatched  with  fifty-six  wounds.  The  unhappy 
queen,  informed  of  his  fate,  immediately  dried  up  her 
tears,  and  said  she  would  weep  no  more,  but  think  of 
revenge. 

The  conspirators  applied  to  the  earl  of  Bothwell,  ? 
new  favourite,  and  that  nobleman  pacified  Mary  ; but 
she  was  implacable  against  her  husband,  whom  she 
rendered  the  object  of  universal  contempt.  He  was 
permitted,  however,  to  have  apartments  in  the  castle 
of  Edinburgh,  where  Mary  was  delivered  of  a son  ; 
and  Sir  James  Melvil  was  sent  with  the  intelligence 
of  this  happy  event  to  England.  Melvil  tells  us,  that 
Elizabeth  had  given  a ball  to  .her  court  at  Greenwich 
the  evening  of  his  arrival  in  London,  and  was  display- 
ing all  her  usual  spirit  and  gayety  ; but  when  news  ar- 
rived of  the  prince  of  Scotland’s  birth,  all  her  joy  was 
damped,  and  she  complained  to  some  of  her  attend- 
ants, that  the  queen  of  Scots  was  mother  of  a son, 
while  she  was  only  a barren  stock. 

The  birth  of  a son  gave  additional  zeal  to  Mary’s 
partisans  in  England,  where  her  conduct  also  procured 
her  universal  esteem  ; but  these  flattering  prospects 
were  suddenly  blasted  by  her  egregious  indiscretion 
at  least,  or,  as  some  are  still  inclined  to  suppose,  by 
her  atrocious  guilt. 


i 


ELIZABETH. 


255 


The  earl  of  Bothwcll  was  a man  of  considerable 
power  in  Scotland,  but  of  profligate  manners.  He  had 
acquired  the  favour  and  entire  confidence  of  Mary  5 
and  reports  were  spread  of  too  great  an  intimacy  be- 
tween them,  though  Bothwell  was  a married  man. 
These  reports  gained  ground  from  the  increased  ha- 
tred of  the  queen  towards  her  husband,  who,  sensible 
of  the  neglects  which  he  underwent,  had  it  in  con- 
templation to  retire  into  France  or  Spain. 

While  affairs  were  in  this  unpleasant  situation, 
Darnley  was  seized  with  an  illness  of  an  extraordina- 
ry nature  ; and  the  queen  visiting  him  during  his  sick- 
ness, treated  him  with  great  tenderness,  and  a cordial 
reconciliation  seemed  to  have  been  brought  about  be- 
tween them.  The  king,  naturally  uxorious,  put  him- 
self implicitly  into  her  hands;  and  as  the  concourse 
of  people  about  the  court  might  disturb  him  in  his  in- 
firm state  of  health,  Mary  assigned  him  a lodging  in  a 
solitary  house,  called  the  Kirk  of  Fie.d.  In  this  sit- 
aation,  the  queen  gave  him  marks  of  kindness  and 
attention,  and  lay  some  nights  in  a room  below  his; 
but,  on  the  9th  of  February,  she  told  him,  that  she 
would  pass  that  night  in  the  palace,  because  the  mar- 
riage of  one  of  her  servants  was  there  to  be  celeorated 
in  her  presence.  About  two  o’clock  in  the  morning, 
the  whole  city  of  Edinburgh  was  alarmed  by  a great 
noise ; and  it  was  discovered,  that  the  house  in  which 
the  king  lay  had  been  blown  up  by  gunpowder,  and 
that  his  dead  body  had  been  carried  by  the  violence 
of  the  explosion  into  a neighbouring  field. 

The  general  opinion  was,  that  Bothwell  was  the 
author  of  this  horrible  crime  ; and  the  earl  of  Lenox, 
Darnley’s  father,  implored  speedy  justice  against  him 
and  the  other  assassins.  Mary  allowed  only  fifteen 
days  for  the  examination  of  this  important  affair ; and 
as  Bothwell  still  possessed  the  confidence  of  the 
queen,  and  enjoyed  his  former  authority,  Lenox  en- 
tertained just  apprehensions  from  the  power,  insolence 
and  temerity  of  his  enemy.  As,  therefore,  neither 
accuser  nor  witness  appeared  at  the  trial,  Bothwell 
was  absolved  from  the  king’s  murder  ; but  the  verdict 
in  his  favour  was  attended  with  circumstances  which 
strongly  confirmed  the  general  opinion  of  his  guilt. 
Mary,  having  gune  to  visit  her  son  at  Stirling,  was 


256 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


seized  by  Bothwell,  and  ostensibly  carried  off  against 
her  will,  with  the  avowed  design  of  forcing  her  to 
yield  to  his  purpose.  Some  of  the  nobility  sent  the 
queen  a private  message,  that  if  she  lay  under  force, 
they  would  use  all  their  efforts  to  rescue  her;  but  the 
queen  professed  herself  satisfied  with  BothwelPs  con- 
duct, and  granted  him  a pardon  for  the  violence  com- 
mitted on  her  person,  and  for  all  other  crimes. 

Soon  after  this  infamous  transaction,  Bothwell  ob- 
tained a divorce  from  his  wife,  and  Mary,  with  inde- 
cent precipitation,  raised  him  to  heV  bed  and  to  her 
throne.  Elizabeth  remonstrated,  by  friendly  letters 
and  messages,  against  the  marriage 5 the  court  of 
France  did  the  same  3 but  Mary  paid  no  regard  to  the 
advice  she  received,  and  seemed  to  scorn  the  united 
censures  of  Europe. 

At  length  the  spirit  of  the  nation  was  roused  j and 
lord  Hume,  with  a body  of  eight  hundred* horse,  sud- 
denly environed  the  queen  of  Scots  and  Bothwell  in 
the  castle  of  Bothwick.  They  found  means,  however, 
of  making  their  escape  5 but  Mary  was  obliged  to  put 
herself  into  the  hands  of  the  confederates.  She  was 
conducted  to  Edinburgh,  amidst  the  insults  of  the 
populace,  who  reproached  her  for  her  crimes,  and 
who  held  before  her  eyes,  which  way  soever  she  turn 
ed,  a banner,  on  which  were  painted  the  murder  of 
her  husband  and  the  distress  of  her  infant  son.  Both- 
well, meanwhile,  found  means  to  reach  the  Orkneys, 
whence  he  escaped  to  Denmark,  where  he  was  thrown 
into  prison,  and  losing  his  senses,  died  about  ten  years 
after,  in  extreme  misery. 

Mary  was  sent  under  a guard  to  the  castle  of  Loch- 
leven,  where  the  associated  lords  refused  Throgmor- 
ton, the  English  ambassador,  all  access  to  her  ; and 
various  schemes  were  proposed  for  the  treatment  of 
the  captive  queen.  In  the  mean  time,  the  earl  of 
Murray  was  appointed  regent,  and  Mary  signed  a deed, 
by  which  she  resigned  the  crown  in  favour  of  her  son. 
In  consequence  of  this  forced  renunciation,  the  young 
prince  was  proclaimed  king,  by  the  name  of  James 
VI.  j and  he  was  soon  after  crowned  at  Sterling,  where 
the  earl  of  Morton  took  the  coronation  oath  in  his 
I5fqi  nnrne-  Mary,  however,  found  means  to  escape 
° •*  from  Lochleven  3 and  being  joined  by  many  of 


ELIZABETH. 


257 


the  nobility,  an  army  of  six  thousand  men  was  assem- 
bled, in  a few  days,  under  her  staudard.  The  regent 
instantly  took  the  field  against  her  j and,  coming  to  an 
engagement  at  Langside,  near  Glasgow,  the  queen’s 
forces  were  entirely  defeated. 

The  unhappy  Mary  fled  from  the  field  of  battle, 
with  a few  adherents,  to  the  borders  of  England  ; and 
rashly  confiding  to  some  late  specious  professions  of 
Elizabeth,  she  embarked  on  board  a fishing-boat  in 
Galloway,  and  landed  the  same  day  at  Workington,  in 
Cumberland  5 whe.nce  she  immediately  despatched  a 
messenger  to  London,  to  notify  hei  arrival,  to  request 
leave  to  visit  Elizabeth,  and  to  crave  her  protection. 

Elizabeth,  seeing  her  rival  thus  in  her  power,  attend- 
ed rather  to  the  dictates  of  policy  than  generosity. 
She  sent  lord  Scrope  and  sir  Francis  Knollis  to  inform 
her,  that  her  request  of  being  allowed  to  visit  their 
sovereign  could  not  be  complied  with,  till  she  had 
cleared  herself  of  her  husband’s  murder.  On  receiv- 
ing this  intelligence,  Mary  burst  into  tears  ; and  the 
necessity  of  her  situation  extorted  from  her  a declara- 
tion, that  she  would  submit  her  cause  to  the  arbitration 
of  her  sister  of  England.  The  regent  of  Scotland  too 
professed  his  readiness  to  abide  by  the  determination 
of  Elizabeth.  Mary  was  removed  to  Bolton,  in  York- 
shire, and  placed  under  the  care  of  lord  Scrope  ; and 
the  issue  of  this  affair  was  regarded  as  an  object  of 
the  greatest  moment  to  the  interests  and  security  of 
Elizabeth.  Commissioners  were  appointed  on  the  part 
of  England,  of  Mary,  and  of  the  regent,  representing 
the  king  and  kingdom  of  Scotland,  and  met  at  York, 
where  this  grand  inquiry  commenced.  Under  pre 
text,  however,  that  the  distance  from  her  person  re 
tarded  the  proceedings  of, the  commissioners,  Elizabeth 
removed  the  conferences  to  Hampton  court. 

When  Murray,  the  regent,  was  called  upon  for 
proofs  of  his  charge  against  Mary,  he  produced  before 
the  commissioners  some  love-letters  and  sonnets,  and 
a promise  of  marriage  to  Both  well,  before  his  trial  and 
acquittal,  all  written  in  the  hand  of  the  queen  of 
Scots.  These  were  incontestible  evidences  of  her 
imprudence,  and  of  her  criminal  correspondence  with 
Bothwell,  however  they  may  be  considered  in  regard 
to  her  consent  to  the  murder  of  her  husband;  out  as 
vor.  1.  17 


258 


HISTQRY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Mary  had  instructed  her  commissioners  n<rt  to  make  9 
defence,  if  any  thing  were  advanced  that  touched  hei 
honour,  as  she  was  a sovereign  princess,  and  could  nol 
be  subject  to  a foreign  tribunal,  though  she  professed 
ner  readiness  to  justify  her  innocence  to  Elizabeth  in 
person,  the  conferences  terminated,  and  no  decision 
was  given. 

The  queen  of  Scots  was  now  removed  from  Bolton 
to  Tutbury,  in  Staffordshire,  and  put  under  the  care 
of  the  earl  of  Shrewsbury.  Elizabeth  entertained 
hopes,  that  she  would  either  resign  the  crown,  or  as- 
sociate her  son  with  her  in  the  government,  and  leave 
the  administration  in  the  hands  of  Murray  during  her 
son's  minority;  but  the  high-spirited  Mary  declared, 
that  her  last  words  should  be  those  of  a queen  of 
Scotland  ; and  she  insisted  either  that  Elizabeth  should 
assist  her  in  recovering  her  authority,  or  give  her  lib- 
erty to  retire  into  France.  Elizabetn,  however,  refus- 
ed both  these  proposals,  and  determined  to  detain  her 
still  a captive. 

The  duke  of  Norfolk,  the  only  peer  that  enjoyed  the 
highest  title  of  nobility,  and  the  most  powerful  sub 
ject  in  England,  was  at  this  time  a widower;  and  hi 
marriage  with  the  queen  of  Scots  appeared  desirabl 
to  several  of  his  friends  and  those  of  that  princess. 
The  scheme  was  made  known  to  Norfolk,  who,  afraid 
of  disclosing  his  intentions  to  Elizabeth,  endeavoured 
to  increase  his  interest  in  the  kingdom,  by  engaging 
the  nobility  to  favour  the  measure.  Mary  was  applied 
to  on  the  subject,  and  returned  a favourable  answer. 
The  kings  of  France  and  Spain  were  secretly  con- 
sulted, and  expressed  their  approbation  of  the  meas- 
ure ; and  though  Elizabeth’s  consent  was  always  held 
out  as  a previous  condition  of  finishing  this  alliance, 
it  was  apparently  the  duke’s  intention  to  render  his 
party  too  formidable  to  be  resisted. 

Elizabeth  was  not  entirely  unacquainted  with  the 
plan,  and  even  intimated  to  the  duke  the  necessity  of 
caution;  but  he  wanted  either  prudence  or  courage 
to  make  known  to  her  his  full  intentions  ; and  when 
the  court  of  England  received  certain  information  of 
this  dangerous  combination,  the  alarm  became  ex- 
treme. Norfolk  and  many  of  his  friends  were  arrest- 
ed; and  the  queen  of  Scots  was  removed  to  Ooveut 


ELIZABETH  250 

ry,  and  all  access  to  her,  for  a time,  was  more  strictly 
prohibited. 

The  conspirators,  among  whom  were  the  earls  of 
Northumberland  and  Westmoreland,  appealed  to  arms  ; 
and  about  four  thousand  foot  and  sixteen  hundred  horse 
took  the  field,  and  expected  the  concurrence  of  all 
the  catholics  in  England.  The  duke  of  Norfolk,  how- 
ever, not  only  discountenanced  these  proceedings, 
but  employed  all  his  interest  to  suppress  the  rebellion  ; 
which  being  effected  in  a short  time,  the  queen  was 
so  well  pleased  with  his  behaviour,  that  she  releasee. 
h;m  from  the  Tower,  and  only  exacted  a promise  from 
him,  not  to  proceed  any  farther  in  his  negotiations 
with  the  queen  of  Scots. 

After  an  interval  of  five  years,  a new  parliament 
was  assembled,  in  which  appeared  the  dawn  of  spirit 
•and  liberty  among  the  English.  The  puritans  agitated 
several  questions  respecting  religion  ; and  Strickland, 
a member  of  the  house  of  commons,  moved  a bill  for 
the  amendment  of  the  liturgy.  This  was  highly  re- 
sented by  the  queen,  who  was,  if  possible,  still  more 
jealous  of  what  regarded  religion,  than  of  matters  of 
sta*e.  She  summoned  Strickland  before  the  council, 
and  prohibited  him  from  appearing  in  the  house  of 
commons;  but  finding  that  her  conduct  was  likely  to 
excite  a great  ferment,  she  sent  him  permission  to  give 
his  attendance  in  parliament.  Elizabeth,  however, 
would  not  allow  the  parliament  to  discuss  any  matters 
of  state,  and  still  less  to  meddle  with  the  church.  For 
along  period,  the  chief  business  for  which  paniament 
was  assembled,  was  to  grant  subsidies,  to  attaint  and 
punish  the  obnoxious  nobility,  and  to  countenance  such 
great  efforts  of  power  as  might  be  deemed  somewhat 
exceptionable,  when  they  proceeded  entirely  from  the 
sovereign.  The  queen,  as  she  was  determined  to 
yield  none  of  her  power,  was  very  cautious  in  asking 
the  parliament  for  any  supply.  She  endeavoured,  by 
a rigid  frugality,  to  make  her  ordinary  revenues  suffice 
for  the  necessities  of  the  crown ; or  she  employed 
her  prerogative,  and  procured  money  by  the  granting 
of  patents  and  monopolies,  or  by  some  such  ruinous 
expedient. 

The  bigotry  of  Philip,  and  the  inhuman  severity  of 
nis  representative,  the  duke  of  Alva,  had  filled  the 


260 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Low  Countries  with  confiscation,  imprisonment,  exile^ 
and  death.  Elizabeth  gave  protection  to  all  the  Flem- 
ings who  took  shelter  in  her  dominions,  and  reaped 
the  advantage  of  introducing  into  England  some  use- 
ful manufactures  which  were  before  unknown.  Alva, 
whose  measures  were  ever  violent,  entered  into  a 
scheme  with  the  Spanish  ambassador,  and  one  Rodol 
phi,  a Florentine  merchant,  for  uniting  the  catholics 
and  Mary  queen  of  Scots  in  a confederacy  against 
Elizabeth.  The  duke  of  Norfolk,  despairing  of  the 
confidence  and  favour  of  Elizabeth,  was  tempted  to 
violate  his  word,  and  to  open  anew  his  correspond- 
ence with  the  captive  queen.  A promise  of  marriage 
was  renewed  between  them  ; and  the  duke  gave  his 
consent  to  enterprises  still  more  criminal. 

The  new  conspiracy  had  hitherto  escaped  the  vigil 
ance  of  Elizabeth,  and  of  Cecil,  now  lord  Burleigh  ; 
but  one  of  the  duke’s  servants  betrayed  his  master  5 
and  the  evidence  of  the  bishop  of  Ross  proved  the 
guilt  of  Norfolk  beyond  all  doubt.  A jury  of  twenty- 
five  peers  passed  sentence  upon  him  ; but  the  queen 
hesitated  to  put  the  sentence  in  execution.  At  length, 
.-79,  after  a delay  of  four  months,  the  fatal  warrant 
was  signed;  and  Norfolk  died,  acknowledging 
tne  justice  of  his  sentence. 

The  queen  of  Scots  was  charged  by  Elizabeth  as 
the  cause  of  these  disturbances ; and"  though  Mary 
endeavoured  to  justify  herself,  the  queen  was  little 
satisfied  with  her  apology,  and  the  parliament  applied 
for  her  immediate  tnal ; but  Elizabeth  forbade  them 
to  proceed  farther  in  the  affair,  and  only  increased  the 
rigour  and  strictness  of  her  confinement. 

The  same  views  which  engaged  the  queen  to  sup- 
port the  Hugonots  in  France,  would  have  led  her  to 
assist  the  distressed. protestants  in  the  Low  Countries  ; 
but  the  mighty  power  of  Philip  kept  her  in  awe,  and 
obliged  her  to  deny  the  Flemish  exiles  an  entrance 
into  her  dominions.  The  people,  however,  enraged 
by  the  cruelty,  oppression,  and  persecution  under 
which  they  suffered,  flew  to  arms.  Holland  and  Zea 
land  revolted ; and  under  the  auspices  of  the  prince 
of  Orange,  the  whole  Batavian  provinces  united  in  a 
.eague  against  the  tyranny  of  Spain.  By  a solemn 
embassy ; the  Flemings  offered  Elizabeth  the  sove* 


ELIZABETH.  2G3 

reignty  of  these  provinces,  if  she  would  exert  her 
power  in  their  defence  ; but  as  she  was  never  ambi- 
tious of  conquests,  or  of  new  acquisitions,  she  de- 
clined the  proffered  sovereignty.  The  queen,  how- 
ever, sent  the  revolters  a sum  of  money,  and  conclud- 
ed a treaty  with  them,  in  which  she  stipulated  to  assist 
them  with  five  thousand  foot,  and  a thousand  horse, 
at  the  charge  of  the  Flemings.  It  was  farther  agreed, 
that  the  new  States,  as  they  began  to  call  themselves, 
should  enter  into  no  alliance  without  her  consent,  and 
if  any  discord  should  arise  among  them,  it  was  to  be 
referred  to  her  arbitration.  She  was  desirous  of  mak- 
ing the  king  of  Spain  believe,  that  her  sole  motive 
for  entering  into  a treaty  with  the  States,  was  to  pre- 
vent them  from  throwing  themselves  into  the  arms  of 
France  ; and  Philip  dissembled  his  resentment  against 
the  queen,  and  waited  for  an  opportunity  of  taking  his 
revenge. 

Elizabeth  was  extremely  anxious  to  support  an  in- 
terest in  Scotland,  because  that  country  alone  afforded 
her  enemies  the  means  of  attacking  her,  and  because 
she  was  sensible  that  the  Guises  had  engaged  Mary 
to  have  recourse  to  the  powerful  protection  of  Philip. 
That  prince,  under  the  name  of  the  pope,  sent  a body 
of  seven  hundred  Spaniards  and  Italians  into  Ireland  j 
but  they  were  soon  obliged  to  surrender  5 and  when 
the  English  ambassador  complained  of  the  invasion, 
he  was  answered  by  similar  complaints  of  the  piracies 
committed  by  Drake  in  the  new  world. 

This  brave  officer,  setting  sail  from  Plymouth  in 
1577,  with  four  ships  and  a pinnace,  on  board  of 
which  were  one  hundred  and  sixty-four  men,  passed 
the  Straits  of  Magellan,  attacked  the  Spaniards  in 
South  America,  and  captured  many  rich  prizes.  He 
was  the  first  Englishman  that  completed  the  circum- 
navigation of  the  globe  ; and  he  returned  safely  to  his 
native  country,  after  a voyage  of  more  than  three 
years. 

In  oraer  to  avert  tne  resentment  of  Spain,  the  queen 
15801  Was  Persuac^e^  t0  disavow  the  enterprise  ; but 
J she  determined  to  countenance  this  gallant  offi- 
cer, on  whom  she  conferred  the  honor  of  knight- 
hood, and  accepted  of  a banquet  at  Greenwich,  on 
board  the  ship  which  had  performed  such  a memora- 
ble voyage. 


262  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

The  duke  of  Aler^on,  now  created  duke  of  Anjou 
nearly  twenty-five  years  younger  than  the  queen,  be 
came  a suitor  of  Elizabeth.  He  came  over  to  Eng 
land  in  order  to  prosecute  his  suit  ; and  the  reception 
which  he  met  w'ith  made  him  expect  complete  suc- 
cess. On  the  anniversary  of  her  coronation,  the  queen 
was  observed  to  take  a ring  from  her  own  finger,  and 
put  it  upon  his  ; and  all  the  spectators  concluded,  that 
in  this  ceremony,  she  had  given  him  a promise  of 
marriage,  and  was  even  desirous  of  signifying  her  in 
tentions  to  all  the  world.  Reflections,  however,  on 
the  probable  consequences  of  this  marriage,  filled  the 
mind  of  the  queen  with  anxiety  and  irresolution ; but, 
at  length,  prudence  and  ambition  prevailed  over  her 
affection  ; and  she  dismissed  the  duke  with  some  apol- 
ogies. He  expressed  great  disgust  on  his  lea/ing  her, 
and  uttered  many  curses  on  the  mutability  of  women 
and  of  islanders. 

The  affairs  of  Scotland  again  strongly  engaged  the 
attention  of  the  queen.  A conspiracy  of  the  discon- 
tented nobles  was  formed,  probably  with  the  concur- 
15821  1161106  Elizabeth,  for  seizing  the  person  of 
-*  James  at  fluthven,  a seat  belonging  to  the  earl 
of  Gowry,  one  of  the  conspirators.  The  king  wept 
when  he  found  himself  a prisoner ; but  the  master  of 
Glamis  said,  “ No  matter  for  his  tears : it  is  better 
that  boys  weep  than  bearded  men.7'  This  expression 
James  never  forgave  j but  he  acquiesced  in  his  own 
detention,  and  agreed  to  summon  both  an  assembly  of 
the  church,  and  a convention  of  the  estates,  in  order 
to  ratify  that  enterprise. 

The  queen  of  Scots  had  often  made  overtures  tc 
Elizabeth,  which  had  been  entirely  neglected;  but 
nearing  of  James’s  confinement,  she  wrote  in  the  most 
pathetic  manner  to  the  queen,  entreating  her  to  raise 
them  both  from  their  present  melancholy  situation, 
and  reinstate  them  in  that  liberty  and  authority  to 
which  they  were  entitled.  This  humble  application 
produced  little  effect,  though  some  ostensible  steps 
were  taken  ; but  James,  impatient  of  restraint,  escap- 
ed from  his  keepers,  and  fleeing  to  St.  Andrews,  sum- 
moned his  friends  and  partisans  to  attend  him.  The 
opposite  party  found  themselves  unable  to  resist,  and 
were  offered  a pardon  on  their  submission.  Some  of 


ELIZABETH.  263 

them  accepted  the  terms ; but  the  greater  part  left 
the  country,  and  took  shelter  in  Ireland  or  England, 
where  they  were  protected  by  Elizabeth. 

The  queen  sent  YValsingham  into  Scotland,  on  pur- 
pose to  penetrate  the  character  of  James  5 and  as 
James  excelled  in  general  discourse  and  conversation, 
that  minister  conceived  a higher  opinion  of  his  talents 
than  he  really  deserved ; and  from  the  favourable  re- 
port of  his  capacity,  Elizabeth  was  inclined  to  treat  the 
young  king  with  more  respect  than  she  had  hitherto 
done.  The  revolutions  in  Scotland,  however,  would 
have  been  little  regarded,  had  not  the  zeal  of  the  catho- 
lics daily  threatened  her  with  some  dangerous  insur- 
rection. Many  of  the  plots  which  had  been  discovered, 
were  imputed  to  the  intrigues  of  Mary  ; and  the  par- 
liament passed  a resolution  “to  defend  the  queen,  to 
revenge  her  death,  or  any  injury  committed  against 
her,  and  to  exclude*  from  the  throne  all  claimants, 
what  title  soever  they  might  possess,  by  whose  sugges- 
tion, or  for  whose  behoof,  any  violence  should  be  of- 
fered to  her  majesty.”  The  queen  of  Scots  was  sen- 
sible that  this  was  intended  against  her ; and  to  re- 
move all  suspicion  from  herself,  she  desired  leave  to 
subscribe  this  resolution. 

During  the  same  session,  a conspiracy  was  discov- 
1 r841  ered>  greatly  increased  the  animosity 

° I against  the  catholics.  One  William  Parry,  who 
had  received  the  queen  s pardon  for  a capital  crime, 
was  instigated  by  some  liomanist  of  high  rank  and 
authority  to  attempt  the  life  of  the  queen,  by  shooting 
at  her  while  she  was  taking  the  air  on  horseback. 
The  conspiracy,  however,  was  betrayed  by  one  of  his 
associates  ; and  Parry  being  thrown  into  prison,  con- 
fessed the  guilt,  and  suffered  the  punishment  of  death. 

About  the  same  time,  the  prince  of  Orange  perished 
at  Delft,  by  the  hands  of  an  assassin  ; and  the  States 
sent  a solemn  embassy  to  London,  and  made  anew 
an  offer  to  the  queen  of  acknowledging  her  for  their 
sovereign,  on  condition  of  obtaining  her  projection 
and  assistance.  Elizabeth,  however,  again  declined 
the  sovereignty,  but  entered  into  an  alliance  with  the 
States,  and  sent  the  earl  of  Leicester  with  a consider- 
able army  to  their  relief. 

The  queenj  while  she  provoked  so  powerful  an  en- 


V 


2 f>4  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

emy  as  the  king  of  Spain,  by  her  open  aid  to  the  re- 
volted Flemings,  took  care  to  secure  herself  on  the 
side  of  Scotland,  by  forming  an  alliance  with  James 
for  the  mutual  defence  of  their  dominions,  and  of 
their  religion,  now  menaced  by  the  open  combination 
of  all  the  catholic  powers  of  Europe.  But  the  unfor- 
tunate Mary,  whose  impatience  of  confinement  and 
unsubdued  spirit,  together  with  her  zeal  for  popery, 
impelled  to  the  most  desperate  acts,  engaged  in  de- 
signs against  Elizabeth,  which  afforded  her  enemies  a 
reason  or  pretence  for  effecting  her  complete  ruin. 

Ballard,  a Romish  priest,  encouraged  by  the  hopes 
of  succours  from  the  pope,  the  king  of  Spain,  and  the 
duke  of  Guise,  came  over  to  England,  and  bent  his  en- 
deavours to  effect  at  once  an  assassination,  an  insurrec- 
tion, and  an  invasion.  The  first  person  to  whom  he  con- 
fided his  intentions  was  Anthony  Babington,  a young 
gentleman  of  Derbyshire,  who  was  ardent  in  the  cause 
of  Mary  and  of  the  catholic  religion.  Babington  em- 
ployed himself  in  increasing  the  number  of  the  associ- 
ates in  this  desperate  undertaking;  and  he  communi- 
cated the  project  to  Mary,  who  approved  highly  of  the 
design,  and  who  observed,  that  the  death  of  Elizabeth 
was  necessary,  before  any  other  attempt  should  be 
made.  Ballard,  however,  being  arrested,  his  confede 
rates  became  alarmed,  and  took  to  flight;  but  being 
seized  they  were  tried,  condemned,  and  executed. 

The  lesser  conspirators  being  thus  despatched, 
measures  were  taken  for  the  trial  of  the  queen  of 
Scots,  who  was  conducted  to  Fotheringay  castle,  in 
the  county  of  Northampton.  A commission,  consist- 
ing of  forty  noblemen  and  privy-counsellors,  was  ap- 
pointed and  empowered  to  pass  sentence  on  Mary, 
who  was  described  in  the  instrument  as  late  queen  of 
Scots,  and  heir  to  James  V.  of  Scotland. 

On  this  awful  occasion,  Mary  behaved  with  great 
dignity.  She  protested  her  innocence,  and  declared 
that  Elizabeth  had  no  authority  over  her,  who  was  an 
independent  sovereign,  and  not  amenable  to  the  laws 
of  England.  Her  objections,  however,  were  over  rul- 
ed ; her  letters,  and  the  confessions  of  the  conspira- 
tors, were  produced  in  evidence  against  her  ; and  a 
few  days  after,  sentence  of  death  was  pronounced 
against  her.  Both  houses  of  parliament  ntified  this 


ELIZABETH. 


26J 


sentence,  which  was  certainly  illegal,  if  not  unjust; 
and  they  urged  the  queen  to  consent  to  its  publication 
and  execution. 

Elizabeth,  however,  affected  great  reluctance  to  ex- 
ecute the  sentence  against  Mary,  and  asked  if  it  were 
not  possible  to  secure  the  public  tranquillity,  by  some 
other  expedient  than  the  death  of  the  queen  of  Scots  ; 
but  when  foreign  powers  interfered,  and  interceded  in 
behalf  of  the  unfortunate  Mary,  Elizabeth  became  ob- 
durate, and  determined  to  execute  the  sentence.  The 
interposition  of  James,  who  remonstrated  in  very  se- 
vere terms  in  favour  of  his  mother,  was  unavailing; 
and  Elizabeth,  tired  with  importunity,  and  dreading 
the  consequences,  ordered  Davison,  her  secretary, 
privately  to  draw  a warrant  for  the  execution  of  the 
queen  of  Scots ; which,  she  afterwards  said,  she  in- 
tended to  keep  by  her,  in  case  any  attempt  should  be 
made  to  rescue  Mary.  She  signed  the  warrant,  and 
commanded  Davison  to  procure  the  great  seal  to  be 
affixed  to  it ; but  when  Davison  told  her  that  the  war- 
rant had  passed  the  great  seal,  she  blamed  his  precip- 
itation. Davison  acquainted  the  council  with  the 
transaction  ; and  they  endeavoured  to  persuade  him  to 
send  off  the  warrant,  promising  to  take  on  themselves 
the  whole  blame  of  the  measure.  The  secretary,  not 
sufficiently  aware  of  their  intention,  complied  with 
the  advice ; and  the  warrant  was  despatched  to  the 
earls  of  Shrewsbury  and  Kent,  and  some  others,  order- 
ing them  to  see  the  sentence  executed  on  the  queen 
of  Scots. 

Mary,  informed  of  this  commission,  though  some 
what  surprised,  betrayed  no  symptoms  of  fear.  The 
night  before  her  execution,  she  called  in  all  her  ser- 
vants, drank  to  them,  and  bade  them  a solemn  fare- 
well. Next  morning  she  dressed  herself  in  a rich  hab- 
it of  silk  and  velvet;  and  having  declared  her  resolu- 
tion to  die  in  the  ancient  catholic  and  Roman  reli- 
gion, her  head  was  severed  from  her  body  by  the  exe- 
15871  cu^oner*  Thus  perished,  in  the  forty-fifth  year 
■*  of  her  age,  and  the  nineteenth  of  her  captivity 
in  England,  Mary  queen  of  Scots,  a woman  of  great 
accomplishments,  both  of  body  and  mind.  The  beau- 
ty of  her  person,  and  the  charms  of  her  address  and 
conversation,  rendered  her  the  most  amiable  of  wo 


266  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

men.  Whether  we  consider  her  faults  as  imprudences 
or  crimes,  certain  it  is,  that  she  was  betrayed  into  ac- 
tions which  can  with  difficulty  be  accounted  for,  and 
which  admit  of  no  apology  or  extenuation.  In  her  nu- 
merous misfortunes,  we  forget  her  faults  ; and  the 
accomplishments  which  she  possessed  render  us  in- 
sensible to  the  errors  of  her  conduct. 

When  Elizabeth  was  informed  of  the  execution  of 
Mary,  she  affected  the  utmost  surprise  and  indigna- 
tion. She  wrote  an  exculpatory  letter  to  James  j and 
she  committed  Davison  to  prison,  and  ordered  him  to 
be  tried  for  a misdemeanor.  He  was  condemned  to 
imprisonment  during  the  pleasure  of  the  queen,  and  to 
pay  a fine  which  reduced  him  to  beggary. 

The  dissimulation  of  Elizabeth,  however,  was  too 
gross  to  deceive  any  person ; and  James  and  his  no- 
bles breathed  nothing  but  revenge.  When,  however, 
James  began  coolly  to  reflect  on  the  consequences 
of  a war  with  England,  and  that  he  might  thereby  for- 
feit the  certain  prospect  of  his  succession  to  the  Eng- 
lish throne,  he  stifled  his  resentments,  and  gradually 
entered  into  a good  correspondence  with  the  court  of 
England. 

While  Elizabeth  insured  tranquillity  from  the  at- 
tempts of  her  nearest  neighbour,  accounts  were  re- 
ceived of  the  vast  preparations  made  by  the  Spaniards 
for  the  invasion  of  England,  and  for  the  entire  con- 
quest of  this  kingdom.  In  all  the  ports  of  Sicily,  Na- 
ples, Spain,  and  Portugal,  Philip  had  for  some  time 
been  equipping  vessels  of  uncommon  size  and  force, 
and  filling  them  with  stores  and  provisions.  The  most 
renowned  nobility  of  Italy  and  Spain  were  ambitious 
of  sharing  in  the  honour  of  this  great  enterprise  *,  and 
the  Spaniards,  ostentatious  of  their  power,  and  confi- 
dent of  success,  had  already  denominated  this  arma- 
ment “ The  Invincible  Armada.” 

Elizabeth,  finding  that  she  must  contend  for  her 
crown  with  the  whole  force  of  Spain,  made  prepara- 
tions for  resistance  ; and  though  her  force  seemed  ve 
ry  inadequate  to  oppose  so  powerful  an  enemy,  every 
place  in  the  kingdom  discovered  the  greatest  readi 
ness  in  defending  their  liberty  and  religion,  by  contri 
buting  ships,  men,  and  money.  The  gentry  and  no- 
bility vied  with  each  other  in  the  same  generous  ca* 


ELIZABETH.  267 

reer ; and  all  the  loans  which  the  queen  demanded 
ftere  immediately  granted. 

Lord  Howard  of  Effingham,  a man  of  distinguished 
abilities,  was  appointed  admiral  of  the  fleet 3 and 
Drake,  Hawkins,  and  Frobisher,  the  most  renowned 
seamen  in  Europe,  served  under  him.  A small  squad- 
ron, commanded  by  lord  Seymour,  second  son  of  the 
protector  Somerset,  lay  off  Dunkirk,  in  order  to  inter- 
cept the  duke  of  Parma. 

The  troops  were  disposed  along  the  south  coast  3 
and  a body  of  twenty-two  thousand  foot,  and  a thou 
sand  horse,  under  the  command  of  the  earl  of  Leices- 
ter, was  stationed  at  Tilbury,  in  order  to  cover  tue 
capital.  The  principal  army  consisted  of  thirty-four 
thousand  foot,  and  two  thousand  horse,  commanded  by 
lord  Hudson  ; and  these  were  reserved  for  guarding 
the  queen’s  person,  and  marching  whithersoever  the 
enemy  should  appear.  Men  of  reflection,  however, 
entertained  the  greatest  apprehensions,  when  they 
considered  the  force  of  fifty  thousand  veteran  Span- 
iards, under  the  duke  of  Parma,  the  most  consummate 
general  of  the  age. 

The  queen  was  sensible  that  next  to  her  popularity, 
the  firmest  support  of  her  throne  consisted  in  the  zeal 
of  the  people  for  the  protestant  religion,  and  their  ab- 
horrence of  popery.  She  reminded  the  English  of 
their  former  danger  from  the  tyranny  of  Spain  3 and 
of  the  bloody  massacres  in  the  Indies,  and  the  unre- 
lenting executions  in  the  Low  Countries  3 and  a list 
was  published  of  the  several  instruments  of  torture, 
with  which,  it  was  pretended,  the  Spanish  armada  was 
loaded.  The  more  to  excite  the  martial  spirit  of  the 
nation,  the  queen  appeared  on  horseback  in  the  camp 
at  Tilbury  3 and  riding  through  the  lines,  she  exhort- 
ed the  soldiers  to  remember  their  duty  to  their  coun- 
try and  their  God,  declaring  that  she  would  rather  per- 
ish in  battle  than  survive  the  ruin  and  slavery  of  her 
people.  By  this  spirited  conduct  she  excited  the  ad- 
miration of  the  soldiery;  the  attachment  to  her  be- 
came enthusiastic  3 and  all  swore  to  defend  the  glori 
ous  cause  in  which  they  were  engaged. 

The  armada,  after  sailing  from  Lisbon,  suffered  con- 
siderably from  storm  ; but  the  damages  being  repaired, 
Jhe  Spaniards  again  put  to  sea.  The  fleet  consisted 


£G8 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


of  one  hundred  and  thirty  vessels,  of  which  one  hun 
dred  were  galleons,  and  of  larger  size  than  any  before 
seen  in  Europe.  On  board  were  upwards  of  thirty 
thousand  men,  and  two  thousand  six  hundred  and  thir- 
ty great  pieces  of  brass  ordnance.  Effingham,  who 
was  stationed  at  Plymouth,  had  just  time  to  get  out  of 
port,  when  he  saw  the  armada  advancing  towards  him, 
disposed  in  the  form  of  a crescent,  and  stretching  the 
distance  of  seven  miles  from  one  extremity  to  the 
other.  As  the  armada  advanced  up  the  channel,  the 
English  hung  on  its  rear,  and  soon  found  that  the 
largeness  of  the  Spanish  ships  was  no  advantage  to 
them.  Their  bulk  exposed  them  the  more  to  the  fire 
of  the  enemy  j while  their  cannon,  placed  too  high, 
passed  over  the  heads  of  the  English. 

The  armada  had  now  reached  Calais,  and  cast  an- 
chor, in  expectation  that  the  duke  of'  Parma  would 
put  to  se'j.  and  join  them.  The  English  admiral,  how 
ever,  filling  eight  of  his  smaller  ships  with  combusti 
ble  materials,  sent  them  one  after  another  into  the 
midst  of  the  enemy.  The  Spaniards  were  so  much 
alarmed,  that  they  immediately  cut  their  cables,  and 
fled  with  the  greatest  precipitation.  The  English, 
whose  fleet  now  amounted  to  one  hundred  and  forty 
sail,  fell  upon  them  next  morning  while  in  confusion; 
and  besides  doing  great  damage  to  other  ships,  they 
took  or  destroyed  about  twelve  of  the  enemy. 

The  Spanish  admiral,  defeated  in  many  rencounters, 
and  perceiving  the  inevitable  destruction  of  his  fleet, 
prepared  to  return  homewards;  but.  conducting  his 
shattered  ships  by  the  circuitous  route  of  Scotland 
and  Ireland,  a violent  tempest  overtook  them  near  the 
Orkneys.  Many  of  the  vessels  were  wrecked  on  the 
western  isles  of  Scotland,  and  on  the  coast  of  Ire- 
land; and  not  one  half  of  this  mighty  armament  re- 
turned to  Spain. 

The  discomfiture  of  the  armada  begat  in  the  nation 
,-So-i  a kind  of  enthusiastic  passion  for  enterprises 
against  Spain;  and  ships  were  hired,  as  well  as 
arms  provided,  at  the  expense  of  the  adventurers. 
Among  those  who  signalized  themselves  in  these  ex 
peditions,  were  Drake  and  Norris,  Grenville,  Howard, 
md  the  earls  of  Essex  and  Cumberland. 

The  war  in  the  Netherlands  still  continued  ; and 


ELIZABETH. 


269 


die  king  of  Navarre,  a protestant,  ascending  the  throne 
of  France  by  the  title  of  Henry  IV.,  a great  part  of  the 
nobility  immediately  deserted  him,  and  the  king  of 
Spain  entertained  views  either  of  dismembering  the 
French  monarchy,  or  of  annexing  the  whole  to  his 
own  dominions.  In  this  emergency,  Henry  addressed 
himself  to  Elizabeth,  who  sent  him  aid  both  in  men 
and  money  ; and  the  English  auxiliaries  acquired  great 
reputation  in  several  enterprises,  and  revived  in 
France  the  fame  of  their  ancient  valour. 

This  war  did  great  injury  to  Spain  ; but  it  was  at- 
tended with  considerable  expense  to  England  ; and 
the  queen  summoned  a parliament  in  order  to  obtain  a 
supply.  However,  it  is  evident  that  Elizabeth  either 
thought  her  authority  so  established  as  to  need  no 
concessions  in  return,  or  she  rated  her  prerogative 
above  money.  When  sir  Edward  Coke,  the  speaker, 
made  to  her  the  then  three  usual  requests  of  freedom 
from  arrests,  access  to  her  person,  and  liberty  of 
speech,  she  declared  that  she  would  not  impeach  the 
freedom  of  their  persons,  nor  refuse  them  access  to 
her,  provided  it  were  upon  urgent  occasions,  and  when 
she  was  at  leisure  from  other  important  affairs  ; but 
that  they  were  not  to  speak  every  one  what  he  listeth, 
and  that  the  privilege  of  speech  extended  no  farther 
than  a liberty  of  ay  or  no. 

Henry  IV.  renounced  the  protestant  religion,  and 
was  received  by  the  prelates  of  his  party  into  the 
catholic  church  ; and  Elizabeth  assisted  that  monarch 
to  break  the  league  which  had  been  formed  against 
him,  and  which,  after  his  conversion  to  popery,  gradu 
ally  dissolved. 

Though  the  queen  made  war  against  Philip  in 
France  and  the  Low  Countries,  yet  the  severest  blows 
which  he  received  from  England,  proceeded  from  na- 
val enterprises.  James  Lancaster,  with  three  ships 
15941  an<^  a pinnace,  took  thirty-nine  Spanish  ships, 
J sacked  Fernambouc  on  the  coast  of  Brazil,  and 
brought  home  a great  quantity  of  treasure.  Sir  Wal- 
ter Raleigh  was  less  successful  in  an  expedition  to 
Guiana,  a country  which  he  undertook  to  explore  at 
his  own  expense.  Sir  Francis  Drake  engaged  in  an 
enterprise  against  Panama;  but  the  Spaniards  obliged 
the  English  to  return  without  effecting  any  thing;  and 


270 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Drake,  from  the  vexation  of  this  disappointment,  was 
eeized  with  a distemper,  of  which  he  died. 

This  unsuccessful  enterprise  in  America  determin- 
ed the  English  to  attack  the  Spanish  dominions  in  Eu- 
rope. A powerful  fleet  of  one  hundred  and  seventy 
vessels,  carrying  upwards  of  seven  thousand  soldiers, 
besides  Dutch  auxiliaries,  set  sail  from  Plymouth  ; 
and  after  a fruitless  attempt  to  land  at  St.  Sebastian, 
on  the  western  side  of  Cadiz,  resolved  to  attack  the 
ships  and  galleys  in  the  bay.  This  attempt  was  deem- 
ed rash  ; but  the  earl  of  Essex  strenuously  recom- 
mended the  enterprise.  Effiingham,  the  commander- 
in-chief,  appointed  sir  Walter  Raleigh,  and  lord  Thom- 
as Howard,  to  lead  the  van ; but  Essex,  contrary  to 
the  injunctions  of  the  admiral,  pressed  forward  into 
the  thickest  of  the  fight  5 and  landing  his  men  at  the 
fort  of  Puntal,  he  immediately  marched  to  Cadiz, 
which  the  impetuous  valour  of  the  English  soon  car 
ried,  sword  in  hand.  The  generosity  of  Essex,  not 
inferior  to  his  valour,  induced  him  to  stop  the  slaugh- 
ter. The  English  obtained  immense  plunder;  but 
they  missed  a much  greater,  by  the  Spanish  admiral 
setting  fire  to  the  ships,  in  order  to  prevent  their  fall- 
ing into  the  hasids  of  the  enemy.  It  was  computed 
that  the  loss  which  the  Spaniards  sustained  by  this 
enterprise  amounted  to  twenty  millions  of  ducats. 

The  king  of  France  concluded  a peace  with  Spain  ; 
and  the  queen  knew  that  she  could  finish  the  war  on 
equitable  terms  with  Philip.  Burleigh  advised  her  to 
embrace  pacific  measures  ; but  Essex,  whose  passion 
for  glory  rendered  him  desirous  that  the  war  should 
continue,  urged  that  her  majesty  had  no  reason  to  fear 
the  issue  of  the  contest,  and  that  it  would  be  dishon- 
ourable in  her  to  desert  the  Hollanders,  till  their  af- 
fairs were  placed  in  greater  security.  The  advice  of 
Essex  was  more  agreeable  to  Elizabeth  ; and  the  fa 
vourite  seemed  daily  to  acquire  an  ascendant  over  the 
minister.  Had  he,  indeed,  been  endowed  with  cau- 
tion and  temper,  he  might  soon  have  engrossed  the 
entire  confidence  of*  his  mistress ; but  his  lofty  spirit 
could  ill  submit  to  implicit  deference  ; and  in  a dis- 
pute with  the  queen,  he  was  so  heated  by  the  argu 
merit,  and  so  entirely  forgetful  of  the  rules  both  ol 
civility  and  duty,  that  he  turned  his  back  upon  her  in 


ELIZABETH. 


271 


a contemptuous  manner.  Elizabeth,  naturally  prone 
to  anger,  instantly  gave  him  a box  on  the  ear,  adding 
a passionate  expression  suitable  to  his  impertinence. 

Instead  of  recollecting  himself,  and  making  the  sub- 
mission due  to  her  sex  and  station,  Essex  clapped  his 
hand  on  his  sword,  swore  that  he  would  not  bear  such 
usage,  were  it  from  Henry  the  Eighth  himself,  and 
immediately  withdrew  from  court. 

The  queen’s  partiality,  however,  soon  reinstated 
him  in  his  former  favour  ; and  the  death  of  Burleigh, 
equally  regretted  by  his  sovereign  and  the  people, 
seemed  to  ensure  him  the  confidence  of  Elizabeth. 

Soon  after  the  death  of  this  wise  and  faithful  minis- 
ter, Philip  the  Second  expired  at  Madrid.  This  haugh- 
ty prince,  desirous  of  an  accommodation  with  his  re- 
volted subjects  in  the  Netherlands,  had  transferred  to 
1ns  daughter,  married  to  the  archduke  Albert,  the  title 
to  the  Low  Countries;  but  the  States  considered  this 
deed  only  as  the  change  of  a name  5 and  the  secret 
opposition  of  France,  as  well  as  the  avowed  efforts 
of  England,  continued  to  operate  against  the  progress 
of  Albert,  as  they  had  done  against  that  of  Philip. 

The  authority  of  the  English  in  the  affairs  of  Ire- 
land had  hitherto  been  little  more  than  nominal.  In- 
stead of  inviting  the  Irish  to  adopt  the  more  civilized 
customs  of  their  conquerors,  they  even  refused  to 
communicate  to  them  the  privilege  of  their  laws,  and 
every  where  marked  them  out  as  aliens  and  enemies ; 
and  the  treatment  which  they  experienced,  rendered 
them  such,  and  made  them  daily  become  more  un- 
' tractable  and  more  dangerous.  Insurrections  and  re- 
bellions had  been  frequent  in  Ireland  3 and  Elizabeth 
tried  several  expedients  for  reducing  that  country  to 
greater  order  and  submission  ; but  these  expedients 
were  unsuccessful,  and  Ireland  became  formidable  to 
the  English. 

Hugh  O’Neale,  who  had  been  raised  by  the  quee  1 
to  the  dignity  of  earl  of  Tyrone,  embraced  the  reso 
lution  of  raising  an  open  rebellion,  and  entered  into  a 
correspondence  with  Spain,  whence  he  procured  a 
supply  of  arms  and  ammunition.  A victory  obtained 
over  sir  Henry  Bagnal,  who  had  advanced  to  relieve  a 
fort  besieged  by  the  rebels,  raised  the  reputation  of  j 

Tyrone,  who  assumed  the  character  of  the  delivt  iei  f! 


272  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

.,-qqt  of  his  country.  The  English  council  were  now 
J J sensible  that  the  rebellion  of  Ireland  should  be 
opposed  by  vigorous  measures  j and  the  queen  ap- 
pointed Essex  governor  of  that  country,  by  the  title 
of  lord-lieutenant,  and  gave  him  the  command  of 
twenty  thousand  foot,  and  two  thousand  horse. 

On  his  landing  at  Dublin,  Essex  was  guilty  of  a cap- 
ital error,  which  was  the  ruin  of  his  enterprise.  In- 
stead of  leading  his  forces  immediately  into  Ulster 
against  Tyrone,  the  chief  enemy,  he  wasted  the  sea- 
son of  action  in  reducing  Munster ; and  when  he  as- 
sembled his  troops  for  an  expedition  into  Ulster,  the 
army  was  so  averse  to  this  enterprise,  and  so  terrified 
with  the  reputation  of  the  Irish  rebel,  that  many  of 
them  counterfeited  sickness,  and  many  of  them  de- 
serted. Convinced  that  it  would  be  impossible  for 
him  to  effect  any  thing  against  an  enemy  who,  though 
superior  in  number,  was  determined  to  avoid  a deci- 
sive action,  Essex  hearkened  to  a message  sent  him 
by  Tyrone  for  a conference.  The  generals  met  with- 
out any  of  their  attendants  j a river  ran  between  them, 
into  which  Tyrone  entered  to  the  depth  of  his  saddle  5 
but  Essex  stood  on  the  opposite  bank.  A cessation 
of  arms  was  concluded  till  the  next  spring,  renewable 
from  six  weeks  to  six  weeks ; but  which  might  be 
broken  by  either  party  on  giving  a fortnight's  notice. 
Essex  also  received  from  Tyrone  proposals  of  peace, 
in  which  that  rebel  had  inserted  many  unreasonable 
conditions  ; and  it  was  afterwards  suspected,  that  he 
had  commenced  a very  unjustifiable  correspondence 
with  the  enemy. 

Elizabeth  was  highly  provoked  at  the  unexpected 
issue  of  this  great  and  expensive  enterprise  ; and 
Essex,  informed  of  the  queen's  anger,  set  out  for  Eng- 
land, and  arrived  at  court  before  any  one  was  apprized 
of  his  intentions.  Though  covered  with  dirt  and 
sweat,  he  hastened  to  the  presence-chamber,  and 
thence  to  the  privy-chamber;  nor  stopped  till  he  was 
in  the  queen’s  bed-chamber,  who  had  just  risen.  Af- 
ter some  private  conversation  with  her,  he  retired  with 
great  satisfaction  ; but,  though  the  queen  had  thus 
been  taken  by  surprise,  she  ordered  him  to  be  confin- 
ed to  his  chamber,  and  to  be  twice  examined  by  tho 
council. 


ELIZABETH. 


2*73 

Essex  professed  an  entire  submission  to  the  queen's 
will,  and  declared  his  intention  of  retiring  into  the 
country,  remote  from  courts  and  business  ; but,  though 
he  affected  to  be  cured  of  his  ambition,  the  vexation 
of  this  disappointment,  and  of  the  triumph  gained  by 
his  enemies,  threw  him  into  a distemper  which  seem- 
ed to  endanger  his  life.  The  queen,  alarmed  with  his 
situation,  ordered  her  physicians  to  attend  him,  and 
also  to  deliver  him  a message,  whicii  was  probably 
more  efficacious  in  promoting  his  recovery,  than  any 
medicines  that  could  be  prescribed.  After  some  in- 
terval, Elizabeth  allowed  her  favourite  to  retire  to  his 
own  house,  where,  in  the  company  of  his  countess,  he 
passed  his  time  in  the  pursuits  of  elegant  literature. 

Essex  possessed  a monopoly  of  sweet  wines  ; and 
as  his  patent  was  nearly  expiring,  he  patiently  expect- 
ed that  the  queen  would  renew  it  5 but  Elizabeth, 
whose  temper  was  somewhat  haughty  and  severe,  de- 
nied his  request.  Essex,  whose  patience  was  exhaust- 
ed, burst  at  once  all.  restraints  of  prudence  ; and  ob- 
served, “ that  the  queen  was  now  grown  an  old  wo- 
man, and  become  as  crooked  in  her  mind  as  her  body." 
Some  court  ladies  carried  this  story  to  the  queen,  who 
was  highly  incensed  against  him  ; but  his  secret  ap- 
plications to  the  king  of  Scots,  her  heir  and  succes- 
sor, were  still  more  provoking  to  BUizabeth,  than  the 
sarcasms  on  her  age  and  deformity.  James,  however, 
disapproved  of  any  violent  method  of  extorting  from 
the  queen  an  immediate  declaration  of  his  right  of 
succession  ; and  Essex,  disappointed  in  his  project, 
formed  a select  council  of  malcontents  at  Drury-house, 
where  he  deliberated  with  them  concerning  the  meth- 
od of  taking  arms,  chiefly  for  the  purpose  of  remov- 
ing his  enemies  and  settling  a new  plan  of  govern- 
ment. 

Receiving  a summons  to  attend  the  council  at  the 
treasurer's  house,  Essex  concluded  that  the  conspira- 
cy was  discovered,  or  at  least  suspected.  He,  there- 
fore, rashly  sallied  forth  with  about  two  hundred  at- 
tendants, armed  only  with  walking  sw'ords  ; and  in  his 
way  to  the  city,  he  cried  aloud,  “ For  the  queen  ! for 
the  queen!  a plot  is  laid  for  my  life!"  the  citizens 
flocked  about  him  in  amazement;  but  though  he  told 
them  that  England  was  sold  to  the  Infanta,  and  exhorted 

VOL.  I.  18 


£74  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

them  to  arm  instantly,  no  one  showed  a disposition  to 
join  him.  Essex,  observing  the  coldness  of  the  citi- 
zens, and  hearing  that  he  was  proclaimed  a traitor  by 
the  earl  of  Cumberland  and  lord  Burleigh,  began  to 
despair  of  success,  and  forced  his  way  to  his  own 
house  3 where  he  appeared  determined  to  defend  him 
self  to  the  last  extremity  3 but  after  some  parley,  he 
surrendered  at  discretion. 

He  and  his  friend  the  earl  of  Southampton  were  ar- 
raigned before  a jury  of  twenty-five  peers.  The  guilt 
of  th-e  prisoners  was  too  apparent  to  admit  of  any 
doubt.  When  sentence  was  pronounced,  Essex  spoke 
like  a man  who  expected  nothing  but  death  3 but 
Southampton's  behaviour  was  more  mild  and  inoffen- 
sive, and  he  excited  the  compassion  of  all  the  peers. 

After  Essex  had  passed  some  days  in  the  solitude 
and  reflection  of  a prison,  his  proud  heart  was  at  last 
subdued,  not  by  the  fear  of  death,  but  by  the  senti- 
ments of  religion  5 and  he  gave  in  to  the  council  an 
account  of  all  his  criminal  desi'gns,  us  well  as  of  his 
correspondence  with  the  king  of  Scots.  The  present 
situation  of  Essex  excited  all  the  tender  affections  of 
Elizabeth  : she  signed  the  warrant  for  his  execution  5 
she  countermanded  it  3 she  resolved  on  his  death  j 
she  felt  a new  return  of  tenderness:  but  as  he  made 
no  application  to  her  for  mercy,  she  finally  gave  her 
consent  to  his  execution.  Essex  was  only  thirty-four 
years  of  age,  when  his  rashness,  imprudence,  and  vio- 
lence, brought  him  to  this  untimely  end.  Some  of  his 
associates  were  tried,  condemned,  and  executed  3 but 
Southampton  was  saved  with  great  difficulty,  though 
he  was  detained  in  prison  during  the  remainder  of 
this  reign. 

In  Ireland,  Mountjoy,  who  succeeded  Essex,  had  ef- 
fected the  defeat  of  Tyrone,  and  the  expulsion  of  the 
Spaniards.  Many  of  the  chieftains,  after  concealing 
themselves  during  some  time,  in  woods  and  morasses, 
submitted  to  the  mercy  of  the  deputy.  Tyrone  him- 
self, after  an  unsuccessful  application  to  be  received  on 
160CTI  terms>  surrendered  unconditionally  to  Mount- 
joy,  who  intended  to  brirg  him  a captive  to  Eng- 
land. But  Elizabeth  was  now  incapable  of  receiving 
any  satisfaction  from  this  fortunate  event.  Some  in- 
cidents had  happened  which  revived  her  tenderness  for 


I 


ELIZABETH. 


275 


Essex,  and  filled  her  with  the  greatest  sorrow.  After 
his  return  from  the  fortunate  expedition  against  Cadiz, 
she  had  given  him  a ring  as  a pledge  of  her  affection  ; 
and  assured  him  that  into  whatever  disgrace  he  might 
fall,  if  he  sent  her  that  ring,  she  would  afford  him  a 
patient  hearing,  and  lend  a favourable  car  to  his  apol- 
ogy. Essex,  notwithstanding  all  his  misfortunes,  had 
reserved  this  precious  gift  to  the  last  extremity  ; but 
after  his  trial  and  condemnation,  he  resolved  to  try 
the  experiment,  and  committed  the  ring  to  the  coun- 
tess of  Nottingham,  whom  he  desired  to  deliver  it  to 
the  queen.  The  countess  was  prevailed  on  by  her 
husband  the  mortal  enemy  of  Essex,  not  to  execute 
the  commission*;  and  Elizabeth,  ascribing  the  neglect 
to  his  invincible  obstinacy,  at  last  signed  the  warrant 
for  his  execution.  The  countess  falling  into  a dan- 
gerous sickness,  was  seized  with  remorse  for  her  con- 
duct ; and  having  obtained  a visit  from  the  queen,  she 
craved  her  pardon,  and  revealed  to  her  the  fatal  se- 
cret. The  queen  burst  into  a furious  passion  ; and 
haking  the  dying  countess  in  her  bed,  cried  out,  “ God 
jay  pardon  you,  but  I never  can.” 

From  that  moment,  Elizabeth  resigned  herself  to 
the  deepest  and  most  incurable  melancholy  ; she  ev- 
en refused  food  and  medicine  ; and  throwing  herself 
on  the  floor,  she  remained  there  ten  days  and  as  many 
nights,  declaring  life  an  insufferable  burthen  to  her, 
and  uttering  chiefly  groans  and  sighs.  Her  anxious 
mind  had  so  long  preyed  on  her  frail  body,  that  her 
end  was  visibly  approaching  ; and  the  council  being 
assembled,  commissioned  the  lord-keeper,  admiral, 
and  secretary,  to  know  her  majesty’s  pleasure  with 
regard  to  her  successor.  She  answered  with  a faint 
voice,  that  “ she  hatl  held  a regal  sceptre,  and  desired 
no  other  than  a royal  successor.”  Cecil  requesting 
her  to  explain  herself  more  particularly,  she  subjoin- 
ed, that  “ she  would  have  a king  to  succeed  her,  and 
who  should  that  be,  but  her  nearest  kinsman,  the  king 
of  Scots  ?”  Soon  after,  her  voice  failed,  and  her  sen 
ses  were  lost;  and  falling  into  a letnargic  slumber, 
she  gently  expired,  in  the  seventieth  year  of  her  age, 
and  the  forty-fifth  of  her  reign. 

So  dark  was  the  cloud  which  overspread  the  even- 
ing of  that  day  whose  meridian  solendour  dazzled  the 


276  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

eyes  of  Europe.  The  vigour,  firmness,  penetration 
and  address  of  Elizabeth,  have  not  been  surpassed  by 
any  person  that  ever  filled  a throne  j but  a conduc 
less  imperious,  more  sincere,  and  more  indulgent  tc 
her  people,  would  have  been  requisite  to  form  a com- 
plete character.  Her  heroism  was  exempt  from  rash- 
ness, her  frugality  from  avarice,  and  her  activity  from 
the  turbulence  of  ambition  5 but  the  rivalship  of  beau- 
ty, the  desire  of  admiration,  the  jealousy  of  love,  and 
the  sallies  of  anger,  were  infirmities  from  which  she 
guarded  not  herself  with  equal  care  or  equal  success. 
When  we  contemplate  her  as  a woman,  we  are  struck 
with  the  highest  admiration  of  her  great  qualities  and 
extensive  capacity ; but  we  perceive  a want  of  that 
softness  of  disposition,  that  lenity  of  temper,  and  those 
amiable  weaknesses  by  which  her  sex  is  distinguished 
and  adorned.  Few  sovereigns  of  England  succeeded 
to  the  throne  in  more  difficult  circumstances ; and 
none  ever  conducted  the  government  with  such  uni- 
form success.  Her  wise  ministers  and  brave  warriors 
share  the  praise  of  her  -success  y but,  instead  of  less- 
ening, they  increased  the  applause  which  she  justly 
deserves.  They  owed  their  advancement  to  her  judg- 
ment and  discrimination. 

The  maxims  of  hei  government  were  highly  arbitra 
ry  ; but  these  were  transmitted  to  her  by  her  prede- 
cessors ; and  she  believed  that  her  subjects  were  en- 
titled to  no  more  liberty  than  their  ancestors  had  en- 
joyed. A well-regulated  constitutional  balance  was 
not  yet  established  5 and  it  was  not  without  many  se- 
vere struggles,  and  some  dreadful  convulsions,  that 
the  people  were  allowed  the  blessings  of  liberty. 


END  OF  VOLUME  1 


✓ 


: 


> 


3PH®  flam  HAIL 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND 


IIUME  AND  SMOLLETT : 

ABRIDGED, 

tKD  CONTINUED  TO  THE  ACCESSION  OF 

VICTORIA. 


BY  JOHN  ROBINSON,  D.  D. 


BOSTON: 

PHILLIPS,  SAMPSON,  AND  COMPANY. 
. 1857. 


m 


THE 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Reign  of  James  / 

The  crown  of  England  passed  from  the  family  of 
Tudor  to  that  of  Stuart  with  the  utmost  tranquillity. 
In  James’s  journey  from  Edinburgh  to  London,  all 
IfOTl  ran^s  tioc,ked  around  him,  allured  by  the  inter- 
' est  of  curiosity  ; and  he  was  so  well  pleased 
with  the  flow  of  affection  which  appeared  in  his  new 
subjects,  that  in  six  weeks  after  his  entrance  into  the 
kingdom,  he  conferred  the  honour  of  knighthood  on 
no  fewer  than  two  hundred  and  thirty-seven  persons, 
besides  raising  several  from  inferior  to  higher  digni- 
ties ; and  among  the  rest  the  Scottish  courtiers  were 
thought  to  be  especially  favoured. 

It  must  be  confessed,  however,  that  James  left  al- 
most all  the  chief  offices  in  the  hands  of  Elizabeth’s 
ministers,  and  intrusted  the  conduct  of  political  con- 
cerns to  his  English  subjects.  Among  these,  Cecil 
was  successively  created  lord  Effingdon,  viscount 
Cranbourne,  and  earl  of  Salisbury,  and  regarded  as 
prime  minister  and  chief  counsellor.  A secret  cor- 
respondence into  which  he  had  entered  with  James, 
during  the  latter  years  of  Elizabeth’s  reign,  laid  the 
foundation  of  Cecil’s  credit;  and  while  all  his  former 
associates,  sir  Walter  Raleigh,  lord  Grey,  and  lord 
Cobham,  were  discountenanced  on  account  of  their 
animosity  against  Essex,  this  minister  was  conti>  aed 
in  his  employment,  and  treated  with  the  greatest  con- 
fidence and  regard. 

Amidst  the  great  tranquillity,  both  foreign  and  do- 
mestic, which  the  nation  enjoyed,  nothing  could  be 


* HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND 

more  unexpected  than  the  discovery  of  a conspiracy 
to  subvert  the  government,  and  to  place  on  the  throne 
Arabella  Stuart,  a near  relation  of  the  king’s,  and 
equally  descended  from  Henry  the  Seventh.  Sir  Wal- 
ter Raleigh,  one  of  the  principals  in  the  plot,  contrary 
to  all  laws  and  equity,  was  found  guilty  by  a jury  ; but 
he  was  reprieved,  not  pardoned  5 and  he  remained  in 
confinement  for  many  years 

The  religious  disputes  between  the  church  and  the 
puritans,  which  had  been  continually  increasing  ever 
since  the  reformation,  induced  the  king  to  call  a con- 
ference at  Hampton-court,  on  pretence  of  finding  ex- 
16041  Patents  which  might  reconcile  both  parties. 

The  disposition  of  James,  however,  had  re- 
ceived a strong  bias  against  the  puritanical  clergy  in 
Scotland  j and  he  showed  tne  greatest  propensity  to 
the  established  church,  and  frequently  inculcated  as  a 
maxim,  no  bishop,  no  king. 

The  severe,  though  popular  government  of  Eliza- 
oeth,  had  confined  the  rising  spirit  of  liberty  within 
very  narrow  bounds  : but  when  a new  and  foreign  fam- 
ily succeeded  to  the  throne,  and  a prince  less  dreaded 
and  less  beloved,  principles  of  a more  independent 
nature  appeared  in  the  nation.  The  king,  however, 
told  the  parliament,  “ that  all  their  privileges  were 
derived  from  his  grant,  and  hoped  they  would  not  turn 
them  against  him  ” James  of  his  own  accord  annul- 
led all  the  numerous  patents  for  monopolies;  but  the 
exclusive  companies  still  remained,  and  .almost  all  the 
commerce  of  England  centered  in  London,  the  trade 
of  which  was  confined  to  about  two  hundred  citizens. 

One  of  the  most  memorable  events  recorded  in  his- 
tory is  the  “ Gunpowder  Plot.”  The  Roman  catholics 
had  expected  great  favour  from  James;  and  they  were 
surprised  and  enraged  to  find  that,  on  all  occasions, 
he  expresed  his  intention  of  strictly  executing  the 
laws  against  them.  Catesby,  a gentleman  of  an  an- 
cient family,  first  thought  of  a most  extraordinary 
method  of  revenge,  which  was  to  destroy  at  one  blovv/ 
the  king,  the  royal  family,  the  lords,  and  the  com* 
moi.s,  by  running  a mine  below  the  hall  in  which  the 
parliament  assembled,  and  choosing  the  very  moment 
4n  which  the  king  harangued  both  houses.  This  din 
oolical  scheme  he  ^^^municated  to  Percy  ,*a  descend 


JAMES  I.  5 

ant  of  the  illustrious  house  of  Northumberland,  who 
was  charmed  with  the  project ; and  they  agreed  cau- 
tiously to  enlist  some  other  conspirators,  and  sent 
over  to  Flanders  in  quest  of  one  Guy  Fawkes,  an  offi- 
cer in  the  Spanish  service,  with  whose  zeal  and  cour- 
age they  were  well  acquainted. 

The  conspirators  bound  themselves  by  oath  of  se- 
crecy, which  they  confirmed  by  receiving  the  sacra- 
ment together;  and  they  hired  a house  in  the  name  of 
Percy,  adjoining  that  in  which  the  parliament  assem- 
bled. Finding  that  a vault  under  the  house  of  lords 
was  to  let,  they  seized  the  opportunity  of  renting  it, 
and  deposited  in  it  thirty-six  barrels  of  powder 
-*  which  they  covered  with  laggots  and  billed 
wood.  The  doors  of  the  cellar  were  then  thrown 
boldly  open,  as  if  it  contained  nothing  dangerous,  and, 
confident  of  success,  the  conspirators  now  planned  the 
remaining  part  of  their  project. 

The  king,  the  .queen,  and  prince  Henry,  were  all 
expected  to  be  present  at  the  opening  of  the  parlia- 
ment; but  as  the  duke,  by  reason  of  his  tender  age, 
would  necessarily  be  absent,  it  was  resolved  to  assas- 
sinate him.  The  princess  Elizabeth,  a child  likewise 
was  kept  at  lord  Harrington's  house  in  Warwickshire  ; 
and  it  was  determined  to  seize  that  princess  and  pro- 
claim her  queen. 

Though  more  than  twenty  persons  were  engaged  in 
this  conspiracy,  the  dreadful  secret  had  been  sacredly 
kept  nearly  a year  and  a half.  No  remorse,  no  pity, 
no  fear  of  punishment,  or  hope  of  reward,  had  induced 
any  conspirator  either  to  abandon  the  enterprise,  or 
discover  the  plot.  A few  days,  however,  before  the 
meeting  of  parliament,  lord  Monteagle,  a catholic,  and 
son  to  lord  Morley,  received  the  following  letter,  from 
an  unknown  hand.* 

“My  lord,  out  of  the  love  I bear  to  some  of  your 
friends,  I have  a care  of  your  preservation.  T'  ere- 

* There  is  strong  reason  to  believe  that  this  letter  was  sent 
by  Mary,  eldest  daughter  of  lord  Morley,  sister  to  lord  Mont- 
eagle, and  wife  of  Thomas  Abington,  esq  of  Henslip,  in  t he 
county  of  Worcester.  Affection  for  her  brother  prompted  the 
warning,  while  love  for  her  husband,  who  was  privy  to  thf 
aonspiracy,  suggested  such  means  as  were  best  calculated 
l reveal  his  detection. 


5 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Toro.  I would  advise  you,  as  you  tender  your  life,  to  de* 
vise  some  excuse  to  shift  off  your  attendance  in  this 
parliament.  For  God  and  man  have  concurred  to 
punish  the  wickedness  of  this  time.  And  think  not 
slightly  of  this  advertisement  5 but  retire.yourself  into 
your  country,  where  you  may  expect  the  event  in  safe- 
ty. For  though  there  be  no  appearance  of  any  stir, 
yet  I say  they  will  receive  a terrible  blow  this  parlia- 
ment, am  yet  they  shall  not  see  who  hurts  them. 
This  counsel  is  not  to  be  contemned,  because  it  may 
do  you  good,  and  can  do  you  no  harm  : for  the  danger 
is  past  as  soon  as  you  have  burned  the  letter.  And  [ 
hope  God  will  give  you  the  grace  to  make  rood  use  of 
it,  unto  whose  holy  protection  I commend  you.” 

Monteagle,  as  well  as  Salisbury,  to  whom  he  com- 
municated it,  considered  the  letter  as  a foolish  at- 
tempt to  frighten 5 but,  from  the  serious  and  earnest 
manner  in  which  it  was  written,  James  conjectured 
that  it  implied  something  dangerous  and  important  3 
and  the  enigmatical  but  strong  expressions  used  in  the 
epistle,  seemed  to  denote  some  contrivance  by  gun 
powder.*  In  consequence,  it  was  determined  to  in 
spect  all  the  vaults  under  the  house  of  parliament  t 
but  the  search  was  purposely  delayed  till  the  day  be- 
fore the  meeting  of  parliament.  This  care  belonged 
to  the  earl  of  Suffolk,  lord  chamberlain,  who  remark- 
ed the  great  piles  of  wood  and  faggots  in  the  vault  un- 
der the  upper  house  3 and  he  observed  Fawkfes  in  a 
corner,  who  passed  himself  as  Percy’s  servant.  About 
giidnight,  sir  Thomas  Knevet,  with  proper  attend- 
ants, entered  tne  vault  3 and  after  seizing  Fawkes,  he 
removed  the  faggots,  and  discovered  the  powder. 
The  matches  and  other  preparations  for  setting  the 
whole  on  fire,  were  found  in  tne  pockets  of  Fawkes, 
who,  seeing  it  useless  to  dissemble,  boldly  expressed 
his  regret  that  he  had  lost  the  opportunity  of  firing  the 
powder  at  once,  and  of  sweetening  his  own  death  by 
that  of  his  enemies.  Before  the  council  he  displayed 
the  same  intrepidity,  and  refused  to  discover  his  ac- 
complices j but  being  confined  in  the  Tower,  and  left 
to  reflect  on  Ins  guilt  and  danger,  his  courage  failed 
in  a few  days,  and  he  made  a full  discovery  of  the 

* James  might  probably  be  led  to  this  conclusion  fret* 
recollecting  the  catastrophe  of  his  fathor.  Mavcr 


JAMES  I.  1 

conspirators,  who  never  exceeded  the  number  of  eigh 
ty.  They  all  suffered  death  by  one  way  or  other; 
and  horrible  as  the  crime  was,  the  bigoted  catholics 
regarded  some  of  them  as  martyrs. 

At  this  time,  James  seems  to  have  possessed  the 
affections  of  his  English  subjects  and  of  the  oarlia- 
ment.  His  learning,  which  was  not  despicable,  obtained 
him  the  name  of  the  second  Solomon.  All  his  efforts, 
however,  for  an  union  between  England  and  Scotland 
proved  ineffectual,  on  account  of  the  national  antipa- 
thy by  which  the  English  parliament  was  governed  ; 
and  he  could  procure  only  an  abolition  of  the  hostile 
laws  which  had  been  formerly  enacted  between  the 
two  kingdoms. 

The  house  of  commons  began  now  to  feel  them- 
selves of  such  importance,  that  on  the  motion  of  sir 
Edwin  Sandys,  they  entered  for  the  first  time,  an  order 
for  the  regular  keeping  of  their  journals. 

In  the  following  session,  the  lord-treasurer  Dorset 
If  101  °Pen  the,  king’s  necessities,  but  the  com- 
-*  mons  refused  to  relieve  them,  and  James  re- 
ceived the  mortification  of  discovering  in  vain,  all  his  • 

wants,  and  of  asking  the  aid  of  his  subjects,  who 
seemed  determined  to  diminish  the  power  of  the 
crown.  Inheriting  all  the  high  notions  of  regal  gov 
eminent  that  had  marked  the  reigns  of  Henry  and 
Elizabeth,  James  was  continually  employed  in  endeav- 
ouring to  preserve  the  prerogatives  which  former  sov- 
ereigns had  enjoyed,  but  which  a more  enlightened 
age  and  a less  obsequious  parliament  deemed  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  circumscribe.  In  his  first  parlia- 
ment, which  sat  nearly  seven  years,  frequent  attacks 
were  made  on  the  royal  prerogative  ; and  the  king  dis- 
played all  his  exalted  notions  of  monarchy  and  the  au- 
thority of  princes;  but  the  principles  which  these 
popular  attempts  developed,  and  which  opposition 
served  only  to  increase,  at  last  overturned  the  throne, 
and  plunged  the  nation  in  confusion. 

In  promoting  the  civilization  of  Ireland,  James  pro- 
ceeded on  a regular  and  well-concerted  plan  ; and  he 
found  it  necessary  to  abolish  the  ancient  customs, 
which  supplied  the  place  of  laws.  By  the  Brehen  cus- 
tom, every  crime,  however  enormous,  was  punished 
by  a pecuniary  fine.  This  rate  was  called  e;ic.  When 


8 HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

(lie  English  had  formed  the  design  of  sending  a sner 
iff  into  Fermanagh,  Maguire,  a chief  of  that  district, 
replied,  “ Your  sheriff  shall  be  welcome  to  me  ; but 
et  me  know  beforehand  his  eric,  or  the  price  of  his 
lead,  that  if  my  people  cut  it  off,  I may  levy  the  mon- 
ey on  the  county.' 77  Small  offences  were  subject  to  no 
penalty  ; and  in  this  horrible  state  of  society,  the  ef- 
forts of  James  to  produce  amelioration  were  highly 
deserving  of  praise.  In  the  room  of  savage  institu- 
tions, he  substituted  English  laws;  took  the  natives 
under  his  protection,  and  declared  them  free  citizens  ; 
and  governed  the  kingdom  by  a regular  administration, 
military  as  well  as  civil. 

This  year  the  sudden  death  of  Henry,  prince  of  Wales, 
in  the  eighteenth  year  of  his  age,  diffused  a general 
grief  throughout  the  nation.  Neither  his  high  birth 
nor  his  youth  had  seduced  him  into  any  irregularities; 
business  a°d  ambition  were  his  sole  delight; 
-*  and  his  inclinations  as  well  as  exercises  were 
martial.  The  French  ambassador,  taking  leave  of 
nim,  and  asking  his  commands  for  France,  found  him 
employed  in  the  exercise  of  the  pike:  u Tell  youi 
king/7  said  he,  “ in  what  occupation  you  left  me  err 
gaged.77  He  had  conceived  great  affection  and  esteem 
for  sir  Walter  Raleigh,  who  was  prisoner  in  the  Tow- 
er. u Surely,77  observed  he,  “ no  king  but  my  father 
would  keep  such  a bird  in  a cage.77 

The  marriage  of  the  princess  Elizabeth  with  Fred- 
eric, elector  palatine,  served  to  dissipate  the  grief 
which  arose  from  that  melancholy  event ; but  this  mar- 
riage, though  happy  to  the  nation  in  its  remote  and  ulti- 
mate consequences,  was  unfortunate  both  to  the  king 
and  his  Son-in-law.  The  elector,  trusting  to  so  great 
an  alliance,  engaged  in  enterprises  beyond  his  strength  ; 
and  the  king,  not  being  able  to  support  him  in  his  pre- 
tensions, lost  entirely,  towards  the  end  of  his  life,  the 
affection  and  esteem  of  his  own  subjects. 

The  history  of  this  reign  is  more  properly  a history 
of  the  court  than  of  the  nation.  About  the  end  of  the 
jear  1609,  Robert  Carre,  a youth  of  twenty  years  of 
age,  and  of  a good  family  in  Scotland,  arrived  in  Lon 
don,*  and  was  introduced  to  the  English  court.  The 
charms  of  his  person  and  the  elegance  of  his  mannere 
■oon  won  the  affections  of  James,  who  success;vely 


JAMES.  9 

snignted  him,  created  him  viscount  Rochester,  and 
gave  him  the  garter.  In  sir  Thomas  Overbury,  this 
minion  met  with  a judicious  and  sincere  counsellor} 
and  so  long  as  he  was  governed  by  his  friendly  coun- 
sels, he  enjoyed  the  highest  favour  of  his  sovereign, 
without  being  hated  by  the  people.  Intoxicated,  how- 
ever, by  his  good  fortune,  Rochester  found  means  to 
seduce  the  affections  of  the  young  countess  of  Essex, 
daughter  of  the  earl  of  Suffolk,  though  she  rejected 
the  embraces  of  her  husband;  and  in  spite,  of  the  re- 
monstrances of  Overbury,  a divorce  was  procured,  and 
a marriage  solemnized  between  the  two  adulterers. 
On  this  occasion,  the  king  so  far  forgot  the  dignity  of 
his  character,  and  his  friendship  to  the  family  of  Es- 
sex, that,  lest  the  lady  should  lose  any  rank  by  her 
new  marriage,  he  created  his  minion  earl  of  Somerset. 

The  countess,  however,  was  not  satisfied  till  she 
could  satiate  her  revenge  on  Overbury,  who  had  been 
committed  to  the  Tower,  at  the  instance  of  Somerset, 
for  disobeying  an  order  of  the  king.  She  engaged  her 
husband,  as  well  as  her  uncle,  the  earl  of  Northamp- 
ton, in  the  atrocious  design  of  destroying  him  secret- 
ly by  poison.  Fruitless  attempts  were  reiterated  by 
weak  doses ; but  at  last  they  gave  him  one  so  sudden 
and  violent,  that  the  symptoms  were  apparent  to  every 
one  who  approached  him ; and  though  a strong  suspi- 
cion prevailed  in  the  public,  the  full  proof  of  the 
crime  was  not  brought  to  light  for  some  years  after. 

The  fatal  catastrophe  of  sir  Thomas  Overbury  in- 
creased or  begat  a suspicion  that  the  prince  of  Wales 
had  been  carried  off  by  poison,  given  him  by  Somer- 
set; and  the  king  was  not  spared  amidst  the  just  im- 
putations thrown  on  his  favourite. 

A r.ew  parliament  was  again  summoned,  after  every 
expedient  had  been  tried  to  relieve  the  king’s  necessi- 
ties, even  to  the  sale  of  baronetages  and  peerages ; 


1614] 


but  that  assembly, -instead  of  entering  on  the 


business  of  supply,  as  urged  by  the  king,  began 
with  disputing  his  majesty’s  power  of  levying  new 
customs  and  impositions,  by  the  mere  authority  of  his 
prerogative.  The  king,  with  great  indignation,  dis 
solved  the  parliament,  without  obtaining  the  smalles* 
supply  to  his  necessities;  and  he  imprisoned  some  of 
the  memoers,  who  had  been  most  forward  iff  their  op 


10  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

position  to  his  measures;  and  though  he  valued  him 
Belf  highly  on  his  king-craft,  he  openly  at  his  table  in- 
culcated those  monarchical  principles  which  he  had  so 
strongly  imbibed.  Among  other  company,  there  sat  at 
table  two  bishops,  Neile  and  Andrews.  The  king  pub- 
licly proposed  the  question,  whether  he  might  not 
take  his  subjects'  money  when  he  needed  it,  without 
all  this  formality  of  parliament?  The  obsequious 
Neile  replied,  “ God  forbid  you  should  not;  for  you 
are  the  breath  of  our  nostrils."  Andrews  declined 
answering;  but  when  the  king  urged  him,  he  pleasant- 
ly observed,  “ I think  your  majesty  may  lawfully  take 
my  brother  Neile's  money,  for  he  offers  it." 

The  favourite  had  hitherto  escaped  the  inquiry  of 
justice ; but  conscious  of  the  murder  of  his  friend,  he 
became  sullen  and  silent;  and  the  king  began  to  es- 
trange himself  from  a man  who  no  longer  contributed 
to  his  amusement.  The  enemies  of  Somerset  seized 
the  opportunity  of  throwing  a new  minion  in  the  king's 
way,  in  the  person  of  George  Villiers,  a youth  of  one 
and  twenty,  who  was  immediately  raised  to  the  office 
of  cup-bearcr.  In  the  mean  time,  Somerset's  guilt  in 
the  murder  of  sir  Thomas  Overbury  was  fully  discov- 
ered ; and  James,  alarmed  and  astonished  at  such 
enormous  guilt  in  a man  whom  he  had  so  highly  hon 
oured,  recommended  a most  rigorous  scrutiny.  All 
the  accomplices  received  the  punishment  of  death, 
but  the  king  bestowed  a pardon  on  the  principals, 
Somerset  and  the  countess:  and  after  some  years  im- 
prisonment, he  restored  them  to  their  liberty,  and  they 
languished  out  their  old  age  in  infamy  and  obscurity. 

The  fall  of  Somerset  opened  the  way  for  Villiers, 
who,  in  the  space  of  a few  years,  by  rapi-d  advances, 
was  at  last  created  duke  of  Buckingham,  knight  of  the 
garter,  master  of  the  horse,  and  lord  high-admiral  of 
England,  with  other  honourable  appointments.  His 
mother  obtained  the  title  of  countess  of  Buckingham; 
his  brother  was  created  viscount  Purbec  ; and  a nu- 
merous train  of  needy  relations  were  all  invested  with 
credit  and  authority. 

Sir  Walter  Raleigh  had  been  imprisoned  for  thir- 
teen years  ; and  men  had  leisure  to  reflect  on  the 
hardship  and  injustice  of  his  sentence.  They  pitied 
his  active  and  enterprising  spirit,  which  languished  in 


JAMES  I. 


11 


the  rigours  of  confinement;  and  they  admired  his  ex- 
tensive genius,  no  less  than  his  unbroken  magnanimi- 
ty. To  increase  these  favourable  dispositions,  on 
16181  wh*ch  he  built  the  hopes  of  recovering  his  lib- 
J erty,  Raleigh  spread  the  report  of  a rieli  gold 
mine,  which  he  had  discovered  in  Guiana.  The  king 
gave  little  credit  to  the  tale,  but  released  him  from 
the  Tower,  without  pardoning  him,  and  suffered  him 
to  try  the  adventure. 

Raleigh  had  declared  that  the  Spaniards  had  plant- 
ed no  colonies  on  that  part  of  the  coast  where  this 
mine  lay;  but  it  had  happened,  that,  in  a space  of 
twenty-three  years  which  had  elapsed  since  he  had  last 
visited  that  region,  they  had  formed  a settlement  on 
the  river  Oronooko,  and  built  a town  called  St.  Tho- 
mas. To  this  place  Raleigh  directly  bent  his  course, 
and  sent  a detachment  under  the  command  of  his  son, 
and  of  captain  Kemys^  an  officer  entirely  devoted  ta 
him.  The  Spaniards,  who  had  expected  this  invasion, 
fired  on  the  English  at  their  landing,  were  repulsed, 
and  pursued  into  the  town.  Young  Ralergh  received 
a shot,  of  which  he  immediately  expired  ; but  the 
town  was  carried,  and  afterwards  reduced  to  ashes. 
Kemys,  who  owned  that  he  was  within  two  hours 
march  of  the  mine,  returned  to  Raleigh  with  the  mel- 
ancholy news  of  his  son’s  death  ; and,  despairing  of 
the  success  of  the  enterprise,  he  retired  to  his  cabin, 
and  put  an  end  to  his  life 

The  other  adventurers  now  concluded,  that  they 
were  deceived  by  Raleigh;  and  thinking  it  safest  to 
return  immediately  to  England,  they  carried  him  with 
them.  The  privy-council  pronounced  that  Raleigh 
had  abused  the  king’s  confidence  ; and  the  court  of 
Spain  raising  loud  complaints  against  him,  the  king 
made  use  of  that  power  which  he  had  purposely  re- 
served in  his  own  hands,  and  signed  the  warrant  for 
his  execution  upon  his  former  sentence. 

Raleigh,  finding  his  fate  inevitable,  collected  all  his 
courage  and  resolution.  As  he  felt  the  edge  of  the 
axe  with  which  he  was  to  oe  beheaded,  il  ’Tis  a sharp 
remedy,”  he  said,  “ but  a sure  one  for  all  ills.”  His 
harangue  to  the  people  was  calm  and  eloquent ; and, 
with  the  utmost  indifference,  he  laid  his  head  on  the 
slock,  ai.d  received  the  fatal  blow. 


12 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND, 


The  execution  of  this  sentence,  which  was  at  first 
aard,  and  which  had  been  so  long  suspended,  gave 
general  dissatisfaction  ; and  it  was  rendered  still  more 
invidious  and  unpopular  by  the  intimate  connexions 
entered  into  With  Spain.  Godemar,  the  Spanish  am- 
bassador, in  order  to  withdraw  the  attention  of  Janies 
from  Germany,  had  offered  the  second  daughter  of 
Spain  in  marriage  to  prince  Charles,  with  an  immense 
fortune.  The  bait  took  5 and  though  the  states  of  Bo- 
hemia, inspired  with  the  love  of  civil  and  religious  lib- 
erty, had  taken  up  arms  against  the  emperor  Ferdi- 
nand, and  tendered  their  crown  to  Frederic,  elector 
palatine,  probably  on  account  of  his  connexion  with 
England,  James  refused  to  lend  any  assistance  to  his 
son-in-law,  and  Frederic,  being  defeated  in  the  great 
and  decisive  battle  of  Prague,  was  driven  from  the  pal- 
atinate, and  fled  with  his  family  into  Holland. 

High  were  now  the  murmurs  and  complaints  against 
the  inactive  disposition  of  the  king,  who  flattered  him- 
16201  se^>  ^at  a^ter  he  hac*  formed  an  intimate  con- 
-*  nexiop  with  the  Spanish  monarch,  by  means  of 
his  son’s  marriage,  the  restitution  of  the  palatinate 
might  be  procured,  from  motives  of  friendship  alone. 

At  this  time  the  great  seal  was  in  the  hands  of  Fran- 
cis Bacon,  lord  Verulam,  a man  universally  admired 
for  the  sublimity  of  his  genius  5 but  his  want  of  econ- 
omy, and  his  indulgence  to  servants,  involved  him  in 
necessities;  and  he  received  bribes  which  rendered 
him  obnoxious  to  censure.  Being  impeached  by  the 
commons,  the  peers  sentenced  him  to  pay  a fine  of 
forty  thousand  pounds,  to  be  imprisoned  in  the  Tower 
during  the  king’s  pleasure,  and  to  be  for  ever  incapa- 
ble of  holding  any  office,  place,  or  employment.  Ba- 
con, however,  was  soon  released  from  prison,  the  fine 
was  remitted,  and,  in  consideration  of  his  great  mer- 
't,  a pension  of  eighteen  hundred  pounds  a-year  was 
conferred  upon  him  ; and  his  literary  productions  have 
made  his  guilt  or  weakness  be  forgotten  or  overlook- 
ed by  posterity. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  commons  entreated  his  ma- 
jesty, that  he  would  immediately  undertake  the  de 
fence  of  the  palatinate  ; that  he  would  turn  his  arms 
against  Spain  ; and  that  he  would  enter  into  negotia- 
tions for  a marriage  with  his  son  only  with  ? proles 


/ 


JAMES  I. 


\2 


tant  princess.  This  seeming  invasion  of  his  prerogi 
tive  highly  ir.censed  James,  who,  in  a letter  to  the 
speaker,  sharply  rebuked  the  house  for  debating  on 
matters  far  above  their  capacity,  and  forbade  them  to 
meddle  with  any  subject  that  regarded  his  govern- 
ment. This  letter  inflamed  the  commons,  who,  after 
another  ineffectual  remonstrance,  framed  a protesta- 
tion, in  which  they  repeated  all  their  claims  for  free- 
dom of  speech,  and  an  unbounded  authority  to  inter- 
pose with  their  advice  and  counsel.  They  asserted 
that  the  liberties,  franchises,  privileges,  and  jurisdic- 
tions of  parliament,  are  the  ancient  and  undoubted 
birthright  of  the  subjects  of  England.  This  protesta- 
tion the  king  himself  tore  from  the  journals  ; and,  af- 
ter committing  some  of  the  leading  members  of  the 
house  to  the  Tower,  he  finally  dissolved  the  parlia- 
ment. These  struggles,  between  prerogative  on  the 
one  hand,  and  privilege  on  the  other,  terminated  only 
with  the  overthrow  of  the  monarchy,  under  the  unfor- 
tunate Charles  the  First. 

In  vain  did  James,  by  reiterated  proclamations,  foi- 
Did  the  discussing  of  state  affairs.  Such  proclama- 
tions, as  might  naturally  be  expected,  served  rather  to 
16221  *n^arne  the  curiosity  of  the  public.  The  ef- 
forts  of  Frederic  for  the  recovery  of  his  domin- 
ions were  vigorous,  but  ineffectual;  and  James  now 
persuaded  his  son-in-law  to  disarm,  and  to  trust  to  his 
negotiations.  To  show,  however,  the  estimation  in 
which  James's  negotiations  were  held  abroad,  in  a 
farce  acted  at  Brussels,  a courier  announced  that 
the  palatinate  would  soon  be  wrested  from  Austria,  as 
succours  from  all  quarters  were  hastening  to  the  re- 
lief of  the  despoiled  elector  : the  king  of  Denmark, 
he  said,  had  agreed  to  contribute  to  his  assistance  one 
hundred  thousand  pickled  herrings  ; the  Dutch,  one 
hundred  thousand  butter  boxes  ; and  the  king  of  Eng- 
land, one  hundred  thousand  ambassadors.  On  other 
occasions,  James  was  depicted  with  a scabbard,  but 
without  a sword  ; or  with  a sword,  which  no  one  could 
draw,  though  several  were  pulling  at  it. 

In  order  to  remove  all  obstacles  to  the  match  be- 
tween the  infanta  of  Spain  and  prince  Charles,  James 
iespatched  the  earl  of  Bristol  to  Philip  IV.;  all  mat- 
ters were  adjusted,  and  the  dispensation  from  Borne 


f i HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND 

only  was  wanting,  when  this  flattering  prospect  was 
blasted  by  the  temerity  of  Buckingham. 

A coolness  between  this  favourite  and  the  prince 
of  Wales  had  taken  place;  and  Buckingham,  desirous 
of  an  opportunity  which  might  connect  him  with 
Charles,  and  also  envious  of  the  great  credit  acquired 
by  Bristol,  proposed  a journey  of  courtship  to  Madrid. 
The  young  and  ardent  mind  of  the  prince  eagerly  em- 
braced the  scheme  ; and  the  king  was  prevailed  on  to 
grant  his  consent  to  the  undertaking,  though  not  with- 
out much  reluctance  and  apprehension  of  the  result. 

The  prince  and  Buckingham,  with  their  attendants, 
passed  disguised  and  undiscovered  through  France  ; 
and  they  even  ventured  into  a court-ball  at  Paris, 
where  Charles  saw  the  princess  Henrietta,  whom  he 
afterwards  espoused,  and  who  was  at  that  time  in  the 
bloom  of  youth  and  beauty.  In  eleven  days  after 
their  departure  from  London  they  arrived  at  Madrid, 
and  surprised  every  one  by  a step  so  unusual  among 
great  princes.  The  Spanish  monarch  treated  Charles 
with  the  utmost  respect  and  the  most  flattering  atten- 
tions ; but  the  infanta  was  only  shown  to  her  lover  in 
public,  the  established  etiquette  not  allowing  any  far- 
ther intercourse  till  the  arrival  of  a dispensation  from 
Rome.  The  king  of  England,  as  well  as  the  prince, 
became  impatient;  and  the  latter  having  taken  his 
leave,  embarked  on  board  an  English  fleet,  and  return- 
ed to  England.  Charles  had  endeared  himself  to  the 
whole  Spanish  nation,  by  whom  he  was  beloved  and 
esteemed  ; while  Buckingham,  by  his  indecent  free 
doms  and  his  dissolute  pleasures,  had  rendered  him 
self  universally  despised  and  hated.  Through  the  in 
trigues  of  Buckingham,  who  dreaded  the  influence  of 
the  Spaniards  in  England  after  the  arrival  of  the  in 
fanta,  the  match  was  broken  off ; and  James  was  in 
duced  to  abandon  a project  which,  during  many  years, 
had  been  the  object  of  his  wishes,  and  which  had  been 
brought  near  to  a happy  conclusion. 

The  king,  having  thus  involuntarily  broken  with 
Spain,  was  obliged  to  summon  a parliament,  in 
•*  order  to  procure  the  necessary  supplies  ; and  in 
that  assembly,  Buckingham  threw  all  tne  blame  on 
the  court  of  Spain,  which  he  accused  of  artifice  and 
insincerity.  The  parliament  advised  the  king  to  break 


JAMES  1.  15 

off  botn  treaties  with  Spain,  as  well  that  which  re- 
garded the  marriage,  as  that  for  the  restitution  of  the 
palatinate.  The  supply,  however,  was  voted  with 
parsimony  ; and  to  it  were  annexed  conditions,  which  • 

trenched  on  the  prerogative,  but  which  at  last  pro- 
duced legitimate  liberty. 

After  the  rupture  with  Spain,  a treaty  of  marriage 
between  the  prince  of  Wales  and  Henrietta  of  France 
was  speedily  concluded  j but  military  enterprises  were 
extremely  disagreeable  to  James,  whose  disposition 
jroKi  incapacitated  him  for  war.#  The  English  nation, 

-*  however,  were  bent  on  t.h*e  recovery  of  the  pal- 
atinate ; and  an  army  of  twelve  thousand  foot  and  two 
hundred  horse,  under  the  command  of  count  Mans- 
feldt,  were  embarked  at  Dover  j but  so  ill  had  this 
expedition  been  concerted,  that  half  of  the  troops  * 
died  on  board  by  a pestilential  disorder,  before  they 
were  permitted  to  land,  and  the  other  half,  weakened 
by  sickness,  appeared  insufficient  to  march  into  the 
palatinate. 

James,  who  had  zealously  cultivated  the  arts  of 
peace,  did  not  long  survive  the  commencement  of 
hostilities.  He  was  seized  with  a tertian  ague,  and 
finding  himself  gradually  becoming  weaker,  he  sent 
for  the  prince,  whom  he  exhorted  to  bear  a tender  re- 
gard for  his  wife,  but  to  preserve  a constancy  in  reli- 
gion, to  protect  the  church  of  England,  and  to  extend 
his  care  to  the  unhappy  family  of  the  palatine.  With 
decency  and  fortitude  he  prepared  himself  for  his  end  j 
and  he  died  in  the  fifty-ninth  year  of  his  age,  after  a 
reign  over  England  of  twenty-two  years  and  some 
days. 

In  the  annals  of  nations,  it  would  be  difficult  to  find 
a reign  less  illustrious,  )et  more  unspotted  and  un- 
blemished than  that  of  James.  No  prince  so  little 
enterprising  and  so  inoffensive,  was  ever  so  much  ex-, 
posed  lo  the  opposite  extremes  of  calumny  and  praise  ; 
and  his  character  has  been  much  disputed  even  in  the 
present  time.  It  must  be  owned,  however,  that  he 
possessed  many  virtues,  though  scarcely  one  of  them 
was  free  from  the  contagion  of  the  neighbouring  vice, 

His  generosity  bordered  on  profusion,  his  learning  on 
pedantry,  his  pacific  disposition  on  pusillanimity,  and 
his  wisdom  on  cunning.  While  he  imagined  that  he 


.6  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

was  only  maintaining  his  own  authority,  he  may  per- 
haps be  suspected  of  having  somewhat  encroached  on 
the  liberties  of  the  people.  His  intentions  were  just, 
but  more  adapted  to  the  conduct  of  private  life,  than 
to  the  government  of  kingdoms. 

He  was  married  to  Anne  of  Denmark,  wno  died  in 
1619,  eminent  neither  for  her  vices  nor  her  virtues; 
and  he  left  only  one  son,  Charles,  then  in  the  twenty- 
fifth  year  of  his  age  ; and  one  daughter,  Elizabeth, 
married  to  the  elector  palatine. 

At  this  period  hi<jh  pride  of  family  prevailed  ; and 
great  riches  acquired  by  commerce,  were  rare.  Civil 
honours,  which  now  hold  the  first  place,  were  then 
subordinate  to  the  military  ; and  the  young  gentry  and 
nobility,  were  fond  of  distinguishing  themselves  by 
arms.  The  country  life,  which  still  prevails  in  Eng- 
land to  a certain  degree,  was  just  beginning  to  give 
way  to  a fondness  for  the  seducements  of  the  city  ; 
and  James  discouraged  as  much  as  possible  this  alter- 
ation of  manners.  11  He  was  wont  to  be  very  earnest,” 
lord  Bacon  tells  us,  “ with  the  country  gentlemen  to 
go  from  London  to  their  country  seats  ; and  some- 
times he  would  say  to  them,  Gentlemen,  at  London 
you  are  like  ships  in  a sea,  which  show  like  nothing; 
but  in  your  country  villages,  you  are  like  ships  in  a 
river,  which  look  like  great  things.” 

The  amount  of  the  king’s  revenue  in  this  reign  was 
about  four  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  pounds  ; and  his 
ordinary  disbursements  are  said  to  have  exceeded  this 
sum  thirty-six  thousand  pounds. 


CHAPTER  II. 

The  reign  of  Charles  1. 

No  sooner  had  Charles  assumed  the  reins  of  gov- 
ernment  than  he  issued  writs  for  summoning  a 
J new  parliament,  which,  after  the  arrival  of  the 
princess  Henrietta,  whom  he  had  espoused  by  proxy, 
assembled  at  Westminster.  The  young  prince  addres- 
sed them  in  the  language  of  simplicity  and  cordiality; 
but  the  commons,  though  aware  of  the  expenses  of 


2 * 

| 


CHARLES  I.  17 

government,  and  that  the  war  was  undertaken  in  com- 
pliance with  their  earnest  entreaties,  granted  a supply 
of  one  hundred  and  twelve  thousand  pounds  only 
The  puritanical  party  were  disgusted  with  the  court, 
on  account  of  the  restraints  under  which  they  were 
held,  and  of  the  favour  suspected  to  be  granted  to  the 
catholics  by  the  treaty  of  marriage.  To  the  mode- 
rate supplies  allowed  by  parliament,  were  tacked  con- 
cessions in  favour  of  civil  liberty  ; and  Charles,  who 
had  imbibed  high  ideas  of  monarchical  power,  and  of 
the  prerogative  of  the  crown,  could  ill  brook  any  en- 
croachments on  his  authority, ^>r  any  want  of  atten- 
tion to  his  reasonable  demands. 

Though  he  condescended  to  employ  entreaties  with 
the  parliament,  in  order  to  obtain  the  necessary  aid, 
the  commons  remained  inexorable  ; and  a new  discov- 
ery inflamed  them  against  the  court  and  tlie  duke  of 
Buckingham.  When  James  courted  the  alliance  with 
France,  he  had  promised  to  furnish  Lewis  with  eight 
ships,  which  were  to  be  employed  against  the  Geno- 
ese, the  allies  of  Spain  ; but  when  the  vessels  by  the 
orders  of  Charles  arrived  at  Dieppe,  a strong  suspicion 
arose  that  they  were  intended  to  serve  against  the  Hu- 
gonots  of  Rochelle.  The  sailors  were  inflamed  ; and 
Pennington,  their  commander,  declared,  that  he  would 
rather  be  hanged  in  England  for  disobedience,  than 
fight  against  his  brother  protestants  in  France.  The 
whole  squadron  sailed  immediately  to  the  Downs, 
where  they  received  new  orders  from  Buckingham, 
lord  Admiral,  to  return  to  Dieppe  ; and  a report  was 
industriously  spread,  that  a peace  had  been  concluded 
between  the  French  king  and  the  Hugonots.  When 
they  arrived  at  Dieppe,  they  found  themselves  deceiv- 
ed, and  again  returned  to  England,  notwithstanding 
the  magnificent  offers  of  the  French. 

On  this  occasion  the  commons  renewed  their  com- 
plaints against  the  growth  of  popery ; and  Charles 
gave  a gracious  and  compliant  answer  to  their  remon- 
strances i but  when  he  found  that  the  parliament  was 
resolved  to  grant  him  no  supply,  he  used  the  pretence 
of  the  plague  to  dissolve  the  assembly. 

To  supply  the  want  of  parliamentary  aids,  Charles 
had  recourse  to  the  unconstitutional  and  unpopular 
expedient  of  issuing  privy-seals,  for  borrowing  money 

VOL.  II.  2 


18  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

of  his  subjects  ; and,  by  means  of  the  money  thus  pro- 
cured, he  equipped  a fleet  of  eighty  vessels,  carrying 
ten  thousand  men,  which  sailed  to  Cadiz  under  sir 
Edward  Cecil,  lately  created  viscount  Wimbleton. 
The  bay  was  full  of  Spanish  ships  of  great  value  3 but 
owing  to  some  neglect  or  misconduct,  and  the  plague 
breaking  out  among  the  seamen  and  soldiers,  the  fleet 
was  obliged  to  return  to  England  without  effecting 
any  thing. 

Charles  having  failed  in  this  enterprise,  was  again 
If2f1  obliSed  to  have  recourse  to  a parliament  3 and 
-*  though  he  had»nominated  four  popular  leaders, 
to  be  sheriffs  of  their  respective  counties,  and  by  that 
means  had  incapacitated  them  from  being  elected 
members,  the  ferment  of  opposition  still  continued. 
The  commons,  indeed,  voted  a supply  ; but  the  pass- 
ing of  that  vote  into  a law  was  reserved  till  the  end 
of  the  session  j and  they  annexed  a condition,  that 
they  should  be  allowed  to  regulate  and  control  every 
part  of  the  government  which  displeased  them 
Great  dissatisfaction  was  expressed  by  Charles  at 
this  treatment  3 but  his  urgent  necessities  obliged 
him  to  submit. 

The  duke  of  Buckingham,  formerly  obnoxious  to 
the  public,  became  every  day  more  unpopular  3 and  the 
house  of  commons  impeached  him  of  various  crimes 
and  misdemeanors.  While  the  commons  were  thus 
engaged,  the  lord-keeper,  in  the  king’s  name  express- 
ly commanded  the  house  not  to  meddle  with  Buck- 
ingham 3 and  Charles  threatened  them  that  if  they  did 
not  furnish  him  with  supplies,  he  shoirld  be  obliged 
to  try  new  counsels.  Two  membe's,  who  had  been 
employed  as  managers  of  the  impeachment,  were 
thrown  into  prison.  The  commons  immediately  de- 
clared, that  they  would  proceed  no  farther  upon  busi- 
ness till  they  had  satisfaction  in  their  privileges. 
Charles  was  obliged  to  release  the  imprisoned  mem- 
bers ; and  this  attempt  served  only  to  exasperate  the 
house  still  more.  The  commons  were  preparing  are- 
monstrance  against  the  levying  of  tonnage  and  pound- 
age without  consent  of  parliament,  when  the  king, 
with  intemperate  haste,  ended  the  session  j and  the^ 
parted  in  mutual  ill-humour. 

The  new  counsels,  with  which  Charles  bad  menac- 


CHARLES  I. 


IS 


cd  the  parliament,  were  now  adopted  : a commission 
was  openly  granted  to  compound  with  the  catholics 
and  agree  for  dispensing  with  the  penal  laws  enacted 
against  them;  from  the  nobility  assistance  was  re 
quested,  and  from  the  city  a loan  required ; and  the 
maritime  towns,  with  the  aid  of  the  adjacent  counties, 
were  compelled  to  equip  a certain  number  of  ships 
This  is  the  first  appearance  in  Charles's  reign  of  ship- 
money,  a mode  of  taxation  which  afterwards  produced 
such  violent  discontents. 

Though  these  irregular  and  unequal  expedients 
would  have  given  disgust  in  more  ^tranquil  times,  yet 
Charles  proceeded  in  these  invidious  methods  with 
some  degree  of  moderation,  till  at  last,  under  the 
name  of  a general  loan,  he  levied  a sum  equal  to  four 
subsidies.  Many,  however,  refused  these  loans  ; and 
some  were  even  active  in  encouraging  others  to  insist 
on  their  common  rights  and  privileges.  Several  were 
thrown  into  prison  by  warrant  of  the  council.  Of 
these,  sir  Thomas  Darnel,  sir  John  Corbet,  sir  Walter 
Earl,  sir  John  Heveningham,  and  sir  Edmund  Hamp- 
den, had  spirit  enough,  at  their  own  hazard  and  ex 
pense,  to  defend  the  public  liberties,  and  to  demand 
releasement,  not  as  a favour  from  the  court,  but  as  a 
matter  of  right. 

The  question  was  brought  to  a solemn  trial  before 
the  court  of  King’s  Bench;  but  though  sir  Randolph 
Crew,  chief  justice,  had  been  displaced  as  unfit  for 
the  purposes  of  the  court,  and  sir  Nicholas  Hyde,  es- 
teemed more  obsequious,  had  obtained  that  high  of- 
fice, yet  the  judges  went  no  farther  than  to  remamd  the 
gentlemen  to  prison,  and  to  refuse  the  bail  which  was 
offered.  The  nation,  indeed,  was  already  exasperated 
to  a very  high  degree,  by  a variety  of  real  grievances ; 
and  except  a few  courtiers  and  ecclesiastics,  all  men 
were  dissatisfied  with  the  measures  of  government, 
and  thought  that  if  some  remedy  were  not  speedily 
adopted,  all  hopes  of  preserving  the  freedom  of  the 
constitution  might  be  abandoned. 

Great,  however,  w?as  the  surprise,  when  Charles, 
though  baffled  in  every  attempt  against  Austria,  em- 
broiled with  his  own  subjects,  and  unsupplied  with 
any  treasure  except  what  ho  extorted  by  the  most  in 
vidious  and  most  dangerous  measures,  wantonly  at 


20 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


'kicked  France,  the  other  great  kingdom  in  his  neigh 
bourhood.  This  rash  action  is  ascribed  to  the  coun 
eels  of  Buckingham. 

When  Charles  married  by  proxy  the  princess  Hen- 
rietta, this  minister  and  minion  had  been  sent  to 
France,  to  grace  the  nuptials,  and  conduct  the  new 
queen  into  England.  The  beauty  of  his  person,  the 
elegance  of  his  manners,  and  the  splendour  of  his 
equipage,  occasioned  general  admiration.  Encour- 
aged by  the  smiles  of  the  court,  he  carried  his  addres- 
ses to  the  queen  of  Lewis;  and,  after  his  departure, 
he  secretly  returned,  and  visiting  the  queen,  was  dis- 
missed with  a reproof  which  savoured  more  of  kind- 
ness than  of  anger.  The  vigilance  of  Richelieu  soon 
discovered  this  correspondence;  and  when  the  duke 
was  making  preparations  for  a new  embassy  to  Paris, 
a message  was  sent  him,  that  his  presence  would  not 
be  agreeable.  In  a romantic  fit  of  passion,  he  swore, 
“ that  he  would  see  the  queen  in  spite  of  all  the  pow- 
er of  France  ;”  and  from  that  moment,  he  determined 
to  engage  England  in  a war  with  that  kingdom. 

He  first  took  advantage  of  some  quarrels  excited  by 
the  queen  of  England’s  attendants ; and  he  persuaded 
Charles  to  dismiss  all  her  French  servants,  contrary 
to  the  articles  of  the  marriage-treaty.  He  encourag- 
ed the  English  ships  of  war  and  privateers  to  seize 
vessels  belonging  to  French  merchants  ; and  these  he 
forthwith  condemned  as  prizes,  by  a sentence  of  the 
court  of  admiralty  ; but  finding  that  these  injuries  pro- 
duced only  remonstrances,  or  at  most  reprisals,  on  the 
part  of  France,  he  resolved  to  second  the  intrigues  of 
the  duke  of  Soubize,  and  to  undertake  a military  ex 
pedition  against  that  kingdom. 

Soubize,  and  his  brother,  the  duke  of  Rohan,  were 
.he  leaders  of  the  Hugonot  faction,  and  strongly  so- 
licited the  assistance  of  Charles.  Accordingly,  a fleet 
of  one  hundred  sail,  and  an  army  of  seven  thousand 
men,  were  intrusted  to  the  command  of  Buckingham 
but  when  the  fleet  appeared  before  Rochelle,  the  in- 
hab:tants  of  that  city  refused  to  admit  allies  of  whose 
arrival  they  had  received  no  previous  information,  and 
Buckingham  sailed  to  the  isle  of  Rhe,  where  he  land- 
ed his  men.  He  finally  returned  to  England  with  the 
loss  of  two  thirds  of  his  land  forces,  and  with  no  oth- 


CHARLES  I.  21 

er  credit  than  the  vulgar  one  of  courage  and  personal 
bravery. 

Great  discontents,  as  might  be  expected,  prevailed 
among  the  English  people.  Their  liberties  were  men- 
aced  j illegal  taxes  extorted;  their  commerce,  which 
had  been  already  injured,  was  totally  annihilated  by 
the  French  war;  the  military  reputation  of  the  nation 
had  been  tarnished  by  two  unsuccessful  and  ill-con- 
ducted expeditions  ; and  all  these  calamities  were  as- 
cribed to  the  obstinacy  of  Charles,  in  adhering  to  the 
counsels  of  Buckingham,  whose  services  and  abilities 
by  no  means  deserved  such  unlimited  confidence. 

In  this  situation  of  men's  minds,  the  king  and  the 
duke  dreaded  the  assembling  of  a parliament; 

1 J but  the  money  levied,  or  rather  extorted,  under 
colour  of  prerogative,  had  beei.  very  slowly  procured, 
and  had  occasioned  much  ill-humour  in  the  nation  ; 
and  as  it  appeared  dangerous  to  renew  the  experi- 
ment, and  a supply  was  absolutely  necessary,  it  was 
esolved  to  call  a parliament.  When  the  commons 
ssembled,  it  was  soon  found  that  they  were  men  of 
whe  same  independent  spirit  with  their  predecessors, 
and  that  the  resentment  for  past  injuries  was  neither 
weakened  nor  forgotten.  The  court  party  did  not  pre- 
tend to  defend  the  late  measures,  in  order  to  procure 
money,  except  on  the  ground  of  necessity,  to  which 
the  king  had  been  reduced  by  the  conduct  of  the  two 
former  parliaments  ; and  a vote  was  passed,  without 
opposition,  against  arbitrary  imprisonments  and  forced 
loans.  In  return  for  this  concession,  a supply  of  five 
subsidies  was  voted,  with  which  the  king  declared 
himself  satisfied  ; and  even  tears  of  affection  started 
in  his  eye,  when  he  was  informed  of  this  liberality. 

But  the  supply,  though  voted,  was  not  immediately 
passed  into  a law  ; and  the  commons  resolved  to  em- 
ploy the  interval  in  providing  some  barriers  to  their 
rights  and  liberties,  so  lately  violated.  They  enume- 
rated all  the  encroachments  that  had  been  made  on 
their  constitutional  liberties,  under  the  name  of  a “ pe- 
tition of  right and  against  these  gri  evances  an  eter- 
nal remedy  was  to  be  provided.  Tb  : terms  in  which 
this  petition  was  expressed,  seem  to  have  been  just 
and  reasonable,  yet  favourable  to  public  freedom  ; bu1 
Charles,  though  he  had  given  his  consent  to  anv  lav* 


22  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAJS  D. 

for  securing  the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  people,  had 
not  expected  such  inroads  on  the  prerogative,  in  re- 
gard to  which  he  was  a great  stickler  ; and  it  was  not 
without  much  difficulty,  and  many  evas:  >ns,  that  the 
royal  assent  was  obtained  to  a measure  which  diffused 
a general  joy  through  the  nation. 

Nothing  tended  more  to  excuse,  if  not  justify,  the 
extreme  rigour  of  the  commons  towards  Charles,  than 
his  open  encouragement  and  avowal  of  principles  in- 
compatible with  a limited  government.  One  doctor 
Mainwaring  had  preached  and  printed  a sermon  sub- 
versive of  all  civil  liberty  ; and  the  commons  impeach- 
ed him  for  the  doctrines  it  contained.  Mainwaring 
was  sentenced  by  the  peers  to  be  imprisoned  during 
the  pleasure  of  the  house,  to  be  fined  a thousand 
pounds,  to  be  suspended  for  three  years,  and  to  be 
rendered  incapable  of  holding  any  ecclesiastical  dig- 
nity or  secular  office.  However,  no  sooner  was  the  ses- 
sion ended,  than  Mainwaring  was  pardoned,  and  pro- 
moted to  a living  of  considerable  value,  and  some 
years  after,  raised  to  the  see  of  St.  Asaph.  This  ac- 
tion sufficiently  showed  the  insincerity  of  Charles  in 
his  late  concessions. 

If,  however,  the  king  had  been  perfectly  sincere  in 
sanctioning  the  petition  of  right,  it  was  evident  that 
the  commons  would  still  have  been  dissatisfied.  They 
continued  to  carry  their  scrutiny  into  every  part  of 
government;  and  they  expressly  declared,  that  the 
levying  of  tonnage  and  poundage  without  consent  of 
parliament,  was  a palpable  violation  of  the  ancient  lib- 
erties of  the  people,  and  an  open  infringement  of  the 
petition  of  right.  In  order  to  prevent  the  presenting 
of  this  remonstrance,  the  king  came  suddenly  to  the 
parliament,  and  endod  the  session  by  a prorogation. 

Freed  from  the  vexation  of  this  assembly,  Charles 
began  to  look  towards  foreign  wars.  A considerable 
fleet  and  army  had  been  prepared  for  the  relief  of  Ro- 
chelle, and  Buckingham  had  gone  to  Portsmouth  to 
hasten  the  sailing  of  the  armament.  Whilst  at  that 
place,  one  Felton,  of  an  ardent  and  melancholy  mind, 
who  had  served  under  the  duke,  and  had  re.tiied  in 
discontent  from  the  army,  inflamed  with  private  re 
sentment,  and  taught  by  a remonstrance  of  the  com 
mons  to  consider  Buckingham  as  the  cause  of  ever; 


CHARLES  L 


i.1 


natioral  grievance,  fancied  that  he  should  do  heaven 
acceptable  service,  by  despatching  this  foe  to  religion 
and  to  his  country.  Accordingly,  as  the  duke  in  a 
narrow  passage,  was  engaged  in  conversation  with 
colonel  sir  Thomas  Fryar,  he  was  on  a sudden,  over 
sir  Thomas's  shoulder,  struck  on  the  breast  with  a 
knife,  which  he  pulled  out,  saying,  u the  villain  has 
killed  me,"  and  with  these  words  breathed  his  last. 

No  one  had  seen  the  blow,  nor  the  person  who  in- 
flicted it;  but  near  the  door  was  found  a hat,  in  which 
were  four  or  five  lines  of  the  remonstrance  of  the 
commons,  declaring  Buckingham  an  enemy  to  the 
kingdom  5 and  it  was  readily  concluded  that  this  hat  be- 
longed to  the  assassip.  In  this  confusion  a person 
without  a hat  was  seen  walking  very  composedly  be- 
fore the  door  ; and  one  crying  out,  “ Here  is  the  fel- 
low who  killed  the  duke/’  every  body  ran  to  ask, 

“ which  is  he  ?"  on  which  Felton  answered,  “ I am 
he."  When  questioned  at  whose  instigation  he  had 
committed  the  horrid  deed,  he  replied,  that  no  man  * 
living  had  credit  enough  with  him,  to  have  disposed 
him  to  such  an  action,  and  that  believing  he  should 
perish  in  the  attempt,  his  motives  would  appear  in  his 
hat. 

Charles  received  the  melancholy  news  of  the  death 
of  his  favourite  with  an  unmoved  countenance;  but 
he  retained,  during  his  whole  life,  an  affection  for 
Buckingham’s  friends,  and  a prejudice  against  his  en- 
emies. Meanwhile  the  distress  of  Rochelle  had  risen 
to  the  utmost  extremity  ; and  the  English  being  una- 
ble to  relieve  the  place,  the  inhabitants,  pressed  by 
famine,  were  obliged  to  surrender  at  discretion. 

Though  for  more  than  a century  the  duties  of  ton- 
nage and  poundage  had  been  considered  as 
the  king’s  due,  without  the  sanction  of  parlia- 
ment, and  had  been  so  levied,  yet  Charles,  now  freed 
from  the  violent  counsels  of  Buckingham,  in  the  open- 
ing of  this  session,  informed  the  commons,  that  he  had 
not  taken  those  duties  as  appertaining  to  his  heredita- 
ry prerogative,  but  as  a gift  of  his  people,  and  that  he 
had  levied  tonnage  and  poundage  out  of  necessity,  and 
not  by  any  right  he  assumed.  This  concession  gave 
a temporary  satisfaction  ; but  the  commons  could  not 
oe  pleased  ; and  as  soon  as  they  had  obtained  one 


U HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

point,  they  immediately  found  another  to  contend  for 
Matters  of  religion  now  formed  the  only  grievance  ta 
which,  in  their  opinion,  they  had  not  applied  a suffi 
cient  remedy  by  their  petition  of  right.  The  present 
house  of  commons,  like  all  the  preceding,  in  the 
present  and  two  former  reigns,  was  governed  by  the 
puritanical  party  ; and  they  thought  that  they  could 
not  better  serve  their  cause,  than  by  stigmatizing  and 
punishing  the  followers  of  Arininius,  some  of  whom, 
by  the  indulgence  of  James  and  Charles,  had  attained 
the  highest  preferments  in  the  hierarchy.  Laude, 
Neile,  Montague,  and  other  bishops,  who  were  the 
chief  supporters  of  episcopacy,  were  also  supposed  to 
be  tainted  with  Arminianism.  These  men  were  re- 
garded by  the  puritans  as  objects  of  enmity  and  dis- 
trust, as  well  on  account  of  their  political  as  their  re- 
ligious principles  ; but  they  were  protected  by  Charles, 
who  wisely  considered,  that  the  most  solid  basis  of  his 
authority  consisted  in  the  support  which  he  received 
from  the  hierarchy. 

Sir  John  Elliot  framed  a remonstrance  against  levy 
mg  tonnage  and  poundage  without  consent  of  parlia- 
ment ; but  when  the  question  was  called  for,  Sir  Johi? 
Finch,  the  speaker,  said,  u that  he  had  a commana 
from  the  king  to  adjourn/'  and  immediately  rose  and 
left  the  chair.  The  whole  house  was  in  an  uproar; 
and  the  speaker  was  pushed  back  into  the  chair,  and 
forcibly  held  in  it,  by  Hollis  and  Valentine,  till  a short 
remonstrance  was  framed,  and  passed  by  acclamation. 
By  it,  papists  and  Arminians  were  declared  capital  en- 
emies to  the  commonwealth  ; and  those  who  levied, 
and  even  those  who  paid  tonnage  and  poundage,  were 
branded  with  the  same  epithet.  By  the  king's  order, 
the  mace  was  taken  from  the  table,  and  thus  ended 
their  proceedings ; and  a few  days  after,  the  parlia- 
ment was  dissolved.  Sir  Miles  Hobart,  sir  Peter  Hay- 
man,  Seldon,  Coriton,  Long,  and  Strode,  were  com- 
mitted to  prison,  on  account  of  the  last  tumult  in  the 
house,  which  was  called  sedition;  and  it  was  with 
great  difficulty,  and  after  several  delays,  that  they  ob- 
tained their  release.  Sir  John  Elliot,  Hollis,  and  Val 
entine,  were  condemned  by  the  court  of  Ring's  Bench, 
for  their  seditious  speeches  and  behaviour  in  parlia- 
ment, to  be  imprisoned  during  the  king's  pleasure,  antf 


CHARLES  L 


to  pay  heavy  fines.  These  gloried  in  their  sufferings, 
and  would  not  condescend  to  petition  the  king,  and 
express  their  sorrow,  though  promised  liberty  on  that 
condition  5 and  Elliot,  happening  to  die  while  in  cus- 
tody, was  regarded  as  a martyr  to  the  liberties  of  Eng- 
land. 


Charles,  destitute  of  all  regular  supply,  was  reduc- 
ed to  the  necessity  of  concluding  a peace  with  Prance 
and  Spain.  No  conditions  were  made  in  favour  of 
inoi  Pa^at^ne>  except  that  Spain  promised  in  gen- 
-*  eral  to  use  its  good  offices  for  his  restoration. 
The  influence  of  these  two  wars  on  domestic  affairs, 
and  on  the  dispositions  of  the  king  and  people,  was  of 
the  utmost  consequence  5 but  they  caused  no  altera- 
tion in  the  foreign  interests  of  the  kingdom,  which 
were  at  this  time  in  the  most  prosperous  condition. 

After  the  death  of  Buckingham,  the  queen  maybe 
considered  as  the  chief  friend  and  favourite  of  Charles, 
By  her  sense  and  spirit,  as  well  as  by  her  beauty,  she 
justified  the  partiality  of  her  husband  5 but  her  reli- 
gion, to  which  she  was  much  attached,  increased  the 
jealousy  which  prevailed  against  the  catholics  and  the 
court. 

Charles  had  endeavoured  to  gain  the  popular  lead- 
ers, by  conferring  offices  upon  them  3 but  the  views 
of  the  king  were  so  repugnant  to  those  of  the  puritans, 
that  the  leaders  whom  he  gained,  lost  from  that  mo- 
ment all  influence  with  their,  party.  This  was  the 
case  with  sir  Thomas  Wentworth,  whom  the  king  had 
afterwards  created  earl  of  Strafford,  made  president 
of  the  council  of  York,  and  deputy  of  Ireland,  and  who 
was  regarded  as  his  chief-minister  and  counsellor.  By 
his  eminent  talents  and  abilities,  Strafford  rfterited  all 
the  confidence  which  his  master  reposed  in  him;  but 
as  he  now  employed  all  his  counsels  to  support  the 
prerogative,  which  he  had  formerly  endeavoured  to 
diminish,  he  was  detested  by  the  puritans.  In  all 
ecclesiastical  affairs,  Laud,  bishop  of  London,  had  the 
greatest  influence  over  the  king.  He  was  a man  of 
virtue  and  talents  3 but  he  wanted  prudence,  and  a 
flexibility  of  character,  to  open  a way  through  difficul- 
ties and  opposition.  His  whole  study  was  to  exalt  the 
dignity  of  the  priesthood;  but  he  weakly  imagined 
that  this  would  be  best  effected  bv  the  introduction 


26  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

of  new  ceremonies  and  observances,  and  a strict  ro 
gird  to  the  external  forms  of  religion  ; and  the  dis 
contented  puritans  affected  to  consider  the  church  of 
England  as  relapsing  fast  into  Romish  superstition 
Certain,  however,  it  is,  that  Laud  magnified,  on  every 
occasion,  the  regal  authority,  and  treated  with  disdain 
all  pretensions  to  a free  constitution, 
j Charles  issued  a proclamation,  declaring,  that 

\,  u though  his  majesty  has  shown,  by  frequent  meet- 

ings with  his  people,  his  love  to  the  use  of  parlia- 
ments ; yet  the  late  abuse  having,  for  the  present,  driv- 
en him  unwillingly  out  of  that  course,  he  will  account 
it  presumption  for  any  one  to  prescribe  to  him  any 
time  for  the  calling  of  that  assembly.”  This  was  gen- 
: erally  considered  as  a declaration,  that  Charles  did 

| not  intend  to  summon  any  more  parliaments;  and  ev- 

ery measure  of  the  king’s  tended  to  confirm  this  sus- 
; picion,  so  disagreeable  to  the  people. 

Tonnage  and  poundage  continued  to  be  levied  by 
the  royal  authority  alone;  and  the  king  had  recourse 
to  various  unconstitutional  expedients  of  raising  money 
by  virtue  of  his  prerogative,  in  every  possible  way 
contrary  not  only  to  the  rights  of  the  people,  but  in 
many  instances  also  in  direct  opposition  to  their  gen 
> eral  feelings  and  prejudices.  The  severities  of  the 

['  star-chamber  and  high  commission  court Were  reviv 

£ ed,  with  all  their  force  and  malignity  ; and  being  ex 

ercised  against  those  who  were  the  champions  of  free- 
dom, and  who  triumphed  in  their  sufferings,  the  gov- 
ernment became  still  more  odious.  Prynne,  a barris- 
ter, having  written  a book,  intituled  Histrio-Mastyx, 
in  which  he  censured  not  only  stage-plays,  music,  and 
dancing,  but  also  hunting,  public  festivals,  Christmas- 
keeping,  bonfires,  and  May-poles,  was  indicted  in  the 
star-chamber  as  a libeller,  merely  because  the  king 
and  queen  frequented  the  theatres,  and  the  queen 
J sometimes  acted  a part  in  pastorals  and  interludes  rep- 

resented at  court.  The  star-chamber  sentenced  him 
to  lose  both  his  ears,  to  stand  in  the  pillory,  to  pay  a 
fine  of  five  thousand  pounds,  and  to  be  imprisoned 
during  life.  This  man  was  a champion  among  the  pu- 
ritans ; and  it  was  probably  with  a view  of  mortifying 
that  sec at,  that  he  was  condemned  to  such  a severe  and 
ignominious  punishment. 


CHARLES  i. 


27 


Charles  made  a journey  to  Scotland,  attended  by  the 


1633J 


court,  in  order  to  hold  a parliament  there,  and 
to  pass  through  the  ceremony  of  his  corona 
tion.  After  his  return,  on  the  death  of  archbishop 
Abbot,  he  conferred  the  see  of  Canterbury  on  Laud, 
and  that  of  London  on  Juxton,  a person  of  great  in- 
tegrity, mildness,  and  humanity. 

Ship-money  was  now  levied  by  virtue  of  the  pre- 
roSative  5 and  though  the  amount  of  the  whole 
-*  tax  little  exceeded  two  hundred  thousand 
pounds,  and  was  equally  assessed,  and  entirely  ex- 
pended on  the  navy,  yet  as  it  was  wholly  arbitrary, 
the  discontents  it  excited,  and  the  irregular  means  by 
which  if  was  enforced,  produced  the  most  important 
consequ  ences.  The  good  effects  of  a navy,  however, 
were  soon  apparent.  A fleet  of  sixty  sail  attacked  the 
herring  f sheries  of  the  Dutch,  who  consented  to  pay 
thirty  thousand  pounds  for  a license  for  one  year;  and 
a squadion  was  sent  against  Sallee,  and  destroyed  that 
receptacle  of  pirates,  by  whom  the  English  commerce, 
and  even  the  English  coasts,  had  been  long  infested. 

Burton,  a divine,  and  Bastwick,  a physician,  were 
tried  in  the  star-chamber  for  seditious  and  schismati- 
cal  libels,  and  condemned  to  the  same  punishment  as 
Prynne.  The  rigours  of  the  star-chamber,  which  had 
increased  in  severity  since  the  promotion  of  Laud,  in- 
duced the  leaders  of  the  puritans  to  endeavour  to  ship 
themselves  off  for  America,  where  others  of  their  sect 
had  laid  the  foundation  of  a free  government;  but  the 
council,  dreading  the  consequences  of  a disaffected 
colony,  a proclamation  was  issued  to  prevent  their 
sailing;  and  thus  sir  Arthur  Has«elrig,  John  Hamp 
den,  John  Pym,  and  Oliver  CromweR,  were  detained 
in  England,  after  having  embarked  on  board  of  vessels 
in  the  river  Thames,  for  the  purpose  of  abandoning 
their  native  country  for  ever. 

It  would  be  impossible,  in  this  short  work,  to  enter 
into  a detail  of  the  various  means  employed  for  abridg- 
ing or  destroying  the  few  remaining  liberties  of  the 
people.  It  may  be  sufficient  to  observe,  that  the  un- 
constitutional acts  of  Charles,  and  the  oppression 
which  was  universally  felt,  produced  murmurs  and 
complaints,  and  at  length  resistance. 

John  Hampden,  who  had  been  detained  in  England 


28 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


against  his  will  has  deserved  well  of  his  country  for 
the  bold  stand  which  he  made  in  defence  of  its  laws 
and  liberties.  Rather  than  tamely  submit  to  so  ille 
gal  an  imposition  as  the  levying  of  ship  money,  he  re- 
solved to  abide  the  event  of  a legal  prosecution, 
though  the  sum  in  which  he  was  rated  did  not  exceed 
twenty  shillings.  The  case  was  argued  during  twelve 
days,  in  the  exchequer-chamber,  before  all  the  judges 
of  England ; and  the  attention  of  the  nation  was 
strongly  excited  to  every  circumstance  of  this  cele- 
brated trial.  The  event  was  easily  foreseen  j the  pre- 
judiced judges,  with  the  exception  of  four  of  them, 
gave  sentence  in  favour  of  the  crown.  Hampden, 
however,  obtained  by  the  trial  the  end  for  which  he 
had  generously  sacrificed  his  safety  and  his  quiet : the 
people  were  roused  from  their  lethargy,  and  became 
fully  sensible  of  the  danger  to  which  their  liberties 
were  exposed. 

In  this  state  of  discontent  and  despondency,  Charles 
attempted  to  introduce  episcopacy  into  Scotland  ; and 
by  this  attempt,  he  alienated  the  affections  of  his 
Scottish  subjects,  and  threw  both  kingdoms  into  a 
flame.  Against  the  combination  of  the  Scots,  whc 
were  contending  for  what  they  censidered  as  dearer 
to  them  than  life,  the  king  had  nothing  to  oppose  but 
a Proc^amati°r'-  This  was  instantly  encounter- 
•*  ed  by  a public  protestation  ; and  the  insurrection 
which  had  been  advancing  by  a gradual  and  slow  prog- 
ress, now  blazed  dp  at  once.  No  disorder,  however, 
attended  it.  On  the  contrary,  a new  order  immedi- 
ately took  place.  Four  tables,  as  they  were  called, 
were  formed  in  Edinburgh.  One  consisted  of  nobility, 
another  of  gentry,  a third  of  ministers,  and  a fourth  of 
burgesses.  In  the  hands  of  the  four  tables  the  whole 
authority  of  the  kingdom  was  placed  ; and  among  the 
irst  acts  of  their  government  was  the  production  of 
the  COVENANT. 

This  covenant  consisted,  first  of  a renunciation  of 
popery,  formerly  signed  by  James  in  his  youth  ; and 
this  was  followed  by  a bond  of  union,  by  which  the  sub- 
scribers obliged  themselves  to  resist  religious  innova- 
tions, and  to  defend  each  other  against  all  opposition 
whatever.  People  of  every  rank  and  condition  has. 
tened  to  sign  this  covenant)  and  so  general  was  th« 


CHARLES  I. 


29 


icntagion,  that  it  seized  the  very  ministers  and  coun 
sellors  of  the  king. 

Charles  was  now  willing  entirely  to  abolish  the  ca- 
nons, the  liturgy,  and  the  high  commission  court 3 ana 
he  gave  authority  to  summon  first  an  assembly,  then  a 
parliament,  where  every  national  grievance  should  be 
redressed  3 but  he  wished  on  any  terms  to  retain  epis- 
copacy in  the  church  of  Scotland.  The  covenanters 
saw  that  it  would  be  necessary  to  retain  their  reli- 
gious tenets  by  military  force  3 and  the  Dutch  and 
French,  who  sought  occasion  for  revenge,  on  account 
of  a former  misunderstanding,  secretly  fomented  the 
commotions  in  Scotland,  and  supplied  the  covenan- 
ters with  money  and  arms.  The  principal  resource, 
however,  of  the  Scottish  malcontents,  was  in  their 
own  vigour  and  abilities.  The  earl  of  Argyle  became 
the  chief  leader  of  the  party  3 and  Leslie,  a soldier  of 
experience  and  merit,  was  intrusted  with  the  com- 
mand of  their  forces. 

Notwithstanding  Charles’s  aversion  to  sanguinary 
measures,  his  attachment  to  the  hierarchy  prevailed: 
and  he  equipped  a fleet,  and  levied  a considerable  ar- 
my, which  he  joined  himself  at  Berwick.  Dreading, 
however,  the  consequences  of  a defeat,  he  suddenly 
concluded  a peace,  by  which  it  was  stipulated,  that 
he  should  withdraw  his  fleet  and  army,  that  the  Scots 
should  dismiss  their  forces,  that  the  king’s  authority 
should  be  acknowledged,  and  that  a general  assembly 
and  a parliament  should  be  immediately  convoked  in 
order  to  compose  all  differences. 

When  the  assembly  met,  they  voted  episcopacy  to 
be  unlawful  in  the  church  of  Scotland  : Charles  was 
only  willing  to  allow  it  to  be  contrary  to  the  consti- 
tutions of  the  church.  They  stigmatized  the  liturgy 
and  canons  as  popish  : he  agreed  simply  to  abolish 
them.  They  denominated  the  high  commission  ty- 
ranny : he  was  content  to  set  it  aside.  The  parlia- 
ment, which  sat  after  the  assembly,  advanced  preten- 
sions which  tended  to  diminish  the  civil  power  of  the 
monarch  3 and  they  were  proceeding  to  ratify  the  acts 
of  the  assembly,  when  they  were  prorogued  by  the 
order  of  Charles.  And  on  account  of  these  elainis 
which  might  have  been  foreseen,  the  war  was  renew 
cd  with  great  advantages  on  the  side  of  the  cove  nail 
ters,  and  disadvantageous  on  that  of  the  king. 


30 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


The  covenanters,  when  they  dismissed  their  troops, 
had  cautiously  warned  them  to  be  ready  at  a moment’s 
notice  ; and  the  religious  zeal  with  which  they  were 
16401  *nsP*red>  ma<^e  them  fly  to  their  standards  as 
J soon  as  summoned ; but  the  king  with  great  dif- 
ficulty, drew  together  an  army  ; which  he  soon  discov- 
ered that  he  was  unable  to  support.  Charles,  there- 
fore, found  himself  under  the  necessity  of  calling  a 
parliament,  after  an  intermission  of  eleven  years  ; but, 
after  the  king  had  tried  many  irregular  methods  of 
taxation,  and  after  multiplied  disgusts  given  to  the  pu- 
ritans, who  sympathised  with  their  discontented  breth- 
ren in  Scotland;  above  all,  when  he  considered  the 
spirit  with  which  former  parliaments  had  been  actuat- 
ed, he  could  feel  little  confidence  in  a measure  which 
his  necessities  had  obliged  him  to  adopt.  Instead  of 
supplies,  he  was  assailed  with  murmurs  and  com- 
plaints. Charles,  finding  that  ship-money  in  particular 
gave  great  alarm  and  disgust,  declared  that  he  never 
intended  to  make  a constant  revenue  of  it,  and  that  all 
the  money  levied  had  been  faithfully  applied;  and  he 
offered  a total  renunciation  of  that  obnoxious  claim, 
by  any  law  which  the  commons  might  think  proper  to 
frame.  In  return,  he  only  asked  a supply  of  twelve 
subsidies,  about  six  hundred  thousand  pounds;  and 
that  payable  in  three  years. 

To  the  partisans  of  the  court,  who  urged  a reasona- 
ble confidence  in  the  king,  and  a supply  of  his  present 
' 'wants,  the  popular  leaders  replied,  that  it  was  the  an 
cient  practice  cf  parliament  to  give  grievances  the 
precedency  of  supply;  and  that  by  bargaining  for  the 
remission  of  an  unconstitutional  duty,  they  would  in  a 
manner  ratify  the  authority  by  which  it  had  been  lev- 
ied. These  reasons,  joined  to  so  many  causes  of  ill- 
humour,  produced  their  effect  on  the  majority  ; and 
some  affirmed,  that  the  amount  of  twelve  subsidies 
was  a greater  sum  than  could  be  found  in  all  England. 
Such  were  the  happy  ignorance  and  inexperience  of 
those  times,  in  regard  to  taxation  ! 

The  king,  seeing  that  the  same  principles  still  pre- 
vailed, which  had  occasioned  him  so  much  disturbance 
in  the  former  parliaments,  and  being  informed  that  a 
vote  was  about  to  pass,  which  would  blast  his  revenue 
of  sh.p-money,  without  allowing  him  any  compensa 


CHARLES  I. 


‘M 

lion  in  return,  formed  the  hasty  resolution  of  dissolv- 
ing the  assembly,  a measure  of  which  he  soon  after 
heartily  repented,  and  for  which  he  was  severely 
blamed. 

Charles,  disappointed  of  parliamentary  subsidies, 
was  obliged  to  have  recourse  again  to  his  usual  expe 
dierits  5 and  new  exactions  and  acts  of  assumed  au 
thority,  served  only  to  increase  the  general  discon- 
tent. With  some  difficulty,  he  collected  sufficient 
means  for  marching  his  army,  consisting  of  nineteen 
thousand  foot,  and  two  thousand  horse,  under  the  earls 
of  Northumberland  and  Strafford,  and  lord  Conway. 
The  Scottish  army,  which  was  somewhat  superior, 
had  already  entered  England,  as  they  pretended,  with 
no  other  view  than  to  obtain  access  to  the  king’s  pres- 
ence, and  to  lay  their  humble  petition  at  his  feet.  At 
Newburn  upon  Tyne,  a detachment  under  Conway 
seemed  to  dispute  the  passage  of  that  river.  The 
.Scots  first  entreated  them  not  to  stop  them  in  their 
march  to  their  gracious  sovereign  ; and  then  attacked 
them  with  great  bravery,  killed  several,  and  chased  the 
remainder  from  their  ground.  Such  a panic  then  seiz- 
ed the  whole  English  army,  that  the  forces  at  Newcas- 
tle fled  immediately  to  Durham,  and  afterwards  into 
Yorkshire. 

The  Scots  took  possession  of  Newcastle  5 and,  in 
order  to  prevent  their  advancing  upon  him,  the  king 
agreed  to  a treaty,  and  named  sixteen  English  noble- 
men, who  were  all  popular  men,  to  meet  eleven  Scot- 
tish commissioners  at  Rippon'. 

An  address  arrived  from  the  city  of  London,  peti- 
tioning for  a parliament ; and  Charles,  in  despair  of 
being  able  to  stem  the  torrent,  at  last  determined  to 
yield  to  it,  and  declared  that  it  W3S  his  wish  to  meet 
the  representatives  of  his  people.  As  many  difficulties 
occurred  in  the  negotiation  with  the  Scots,  it  was  pro- 
posed, likewise  to  transfer  the  treaty  from  Rippon  to 
London,  a proposal  willingly  embraced  by  the  com- 
missioners of  that  nation,  who  were  sure  of  treating 
with  advantage,  in  a place,  where  the  king  would  have 
more  enemies  and  they  more  friends. 

The  causes  of  disgust  which,  for  more  than  thirty 
years,  had  been  multiplying  in  England,  were  now  ar- 
rived at  full  maturity.  No  sooner  had  the  house  of 


52 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


commons  assembled,  than  the)’  impeached  Straf- 
ford, who  had  incurred  the  resentment  of  the 
three  kingdoms,  by  different  services  rendered  to  his 
unpopular  master.  Pym  enumerated  all  the  grievances 
under  which  the  nation  laboured;  and  after  several 
hours  spent  in  invective  or  debate,  the  impeachment 
of  Strafford  was  voted  ; and  Pym  was  chosen  to  carry 
it  up  to  the  lords.  Strafford,  who  had  just  entered 
the  house  of  peers,  was  immediately  ordered  into  cus- 
tody, with  symptoms  of  violent  prejudice  in  his  judg- 
es, as  well  as  in  his  prosecutors. 

An  impeachment  of  high-treason  was  also  voted 
against  Laud,  who  was  committed  to  custody  ; and  the 
lord-keeper  Finch,  and  secretary  VVindebank,  were 
charged  with  the  same  crime ; but  these  ministers, 
conscious  of  their  danger,  escaped  to  the  Continent. 
In  short,  all  the  officers  and  servants  of  the  crown, 
who  had  been  guilty  of  any  obnoxious  or  oppressive 
measure,  were  called  upon  to  answer  for  their  con- 
duct; and  even  the  judges,  who  had  given  their  vote 
against  Hampden,  in  the  trial  of  ship-money,  were 
accused  before  the  peers,  and  obliged  to  find  secu- 
rity for  their  appearance. 

Thus,  in  a short  time,  . the  whole  sovereign  power 
was  transferred  to  the  commons  ; and  this  was  the 
time  when  genius  and  talents,  freed  from  the  restraint 
of  authority,  began  to  display  themselves.  Pym, 
Hampden,  St.John,  Hollis,  and  Vane,  greatly  distin- 
guished themselves  by  their  various  endowments;  and 
even  men  of  more  moderate  talents,  and  of  diffeient 
principles,  caught  a portion  of  the  same  spirit  from  the 
situation  in  which  they  were  placed. 

The  harangues  of  members,  now  first  published, 
kept  alive  the  discontents  against  the  king’s  adminis- 
tration ; and  the  sentence  against  Prynne,  Bastwick, 
and  Burton,  being  reversed  by  parliament,  these  wri- 
ters were  again  turned  loose  upon  the  public,  and  in- 
creased the  general  ferment. 

From  necessity,  the  king  remained  entirely  passive 
during  these  violent  proceedings.  11  You  have  taken 
the  whole  machine  of  government  to  pieces/’  said 
Charles,  in  a speech  to  parliament;  “ a practice  fre- 
quent with  skilful  artists,  when  they  desire  to  clean 
the  wheels  from  any  rust  which  may  have  grown  upon 


CHARLES  1. 


33 


them.  The  engine/7  continued  he,  11  may  again  be 
restored  to  its  former  use  and  motions,  provided  it  be 
put  ■ap  entire,  so  as  not  a pin  of  it  be  wanting.”  But 
this  was  far  from  the  intention  of  the  commons,  who, 
like  all  violent*  reformers,  destroyed  the  whole  ma- 
chine, instead  of  removing  only  such  parts  as  might 
justly  be  deemed  superfluous  ancl  injurious. 

The  commons,  besides  overawing  their  opponents, 
thought  it  necessary  to  encourage  their  friends  and 
adherents  ; and  with  this  view,  they  voted  the  Scots 
a subsistence  of  eight  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  a-day, 
and  St.  Antholine’s  church  was  assigned  them  for  their 
devotions,  where  their  chaplains  began  to  nractise  the 
presbyterian  form  of  worship,  to  which  multitudes  of 
all  ranks  resorted.  The  most  effectual  expedient  for 
procuring  the  favour  of  the  zealojs  Scots,  was  the  pro- 
motion of  the  presbyterian  discipline  and  worship 
throughout  England  3 and  to  this  innovation  the  pop- 
ular leaders  among  the  commons,  as  well  as  their 
jaore  devoted  partisans,  were  sufficiently  inclined. 

Petitions  against  the  church  were  framed  in  different 
parts  of  the  kingdom  3 and  a bill  was  introduced,  pro- 
hibiting the  clergy  from  holding  any  civil  office,  and 
of  course  depriving  the  bishops  of  a seat  in  the  house 
of  peers.  This  bill,  however,  was  rejected  in  the 
upper  house  by  a great  majority  3 but  the  puritans,  far 
from  being  discouraged  by  this  opposition,  immediate- 
ly brought  in  another  bill  for  the  total  abolition  of 
episcopacy,  though  they  thought  proper  to  suffer  it  to 
sleep  till  a more  favourable  opportunity. 

The  commons  next  issued  orders  for  demolishing  all 
images,  altars,  and  crucifixes  5 and  so  great  was  the 
abhorrence  against  the  latter,  that  some  of  the  most 
zealous  would  not  suffer  one  piece  of  wood  or  stone  to 
lie  over  another  at  right  angles.  Most  of  the  es- 
tablished ceremonies  of  religious  worship,  and  the 
ordinary  vestments  of  its  ministers  were  considered  as 
savouring  of  pope-ry  5 and  the  professors  of  that  reli- 
gion, in  particular,  were  treated  with  the  utmost  harsh- 
ness and  indignity,  from  which  the  queen  mother,  who 
had  been  obliged  by  some  court  intrigues  to  retire  to 
England,  and  even  the  queen  heiself,  were  not  ex- 
empt. 

Charles,  finding  by  experierce  the  ill  effects  of  his 

VOL.  II.  3 


S4 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


arbitrary  measures,  now  endeavoured  to  regain  the 
confidence  of  his  .people,  by  concessions  and  a con- 
formity to  their  inclinations.  He  passed  a bill,  by 
which  the  right  of  granting  the  duties  of  tonnage  and 
poundage  was  asserted  as  belonging  to  the  commons 
alone  5 and  with  some  difficulty  he  consented  to  a law 
for  triennial  parliaments,  which  was  clogged  with  such 
conditions,  that  the  legitimate  power  of  a king  was 
reduced  almost  to  a shadow.  A change  of  ministers, 
as  well  as  of  measures,  was  also  resolved  on;  and  in 
one  day  several  new  privy-counsellors  were  sworn,  all 
of  the  popular  party. 

The  end  on  which  the  king  was  most  intent  in 
changing  his  ministers  was,  to  save  the  life  of  the  earl 
of  Strafford  ; but  the  impeachment  of  that  unfortunate 
nobleman  was  pushed  on  with  the  utmost  vigour;  and, 
after  long  and  solemn  preparations,  was  brought  to  a 
final  issue.  Twenty-eight  articles  were  exhibited 
against  him;  but  though  four  months  had  been  em- 
ployed by  the  managers,  and  all  Strafford's  answers 
were  extemporaneous,  it  appears  from  comparison, 
16411  t*iat  was  not  on^  guiltf088  °f  treason,  but  in 
J some  degree  free  from  censure,  if  we  make  al- 
lowance for  human  infirmities  exposed  to  such  diffi- 
cult circumstances.  The  accusation  and  defence  last- 
ed eighteen  days,  during  which  Strafford  conducted 
himself  with  a degree  of  firmness,  moderation,  and 
wisdom,  that  extorted  the  admiration  of  his  most  bit- 
ter enemies;  but  the  commons  were  determined  to 
convict  him ; and  therefore  on  the  most  incompetent 
evidence,  or  rather  against  usual  legal  evidence,  the 
bill  of  attainder  passed  with  no  greater  opposition  than 
that  of  fifty-nine  votes. 

After  the  bill  had  passed  the  commons,  the  puritan- 
ical pulpits  resounded  with  the  necessity  of  executing 
justice  on  great  delinquents;  about  six  thousand  arm- 
ed men  surrounded  the  houses  of  parliament;  and  the 
populace,  worked  up  to  a degree  of  frenzy  by  their 
leaders,  flocked  round  Whitehall,  where  the  king  re- 
sided, and  accompanied  their  demands  against  Straf- 
ford with  the  most  open  menaces. 

About  eighty  peers  had  constantly  attended  Strafford’s 
trial ; but  such  were  the  apprehensions  of  the  popular 
tumults,  that  only  forty-five  were  present  when  the 


CHARLES  I. 


33 


bill  of  attainder  was  brought  into  the  upper  house , 
yet  of  these,  nineteen  had  the  courage  to  vote  against 
it.  On  whichever  side  the  king  cast  his  eyes,  he  saw 
no  resource  or  security.  All  his  servants,  consult- 
ing their  own  safety,  rather  than  their  master’s  hon- 
our, declined  to  interpose  their  advice  between  him 
and  his  parliament  j and  the  queen,  terrified  with  the 
appearance  of  so  great  a danger,  pressed  him  to  satis- 
fy his  people  in  this  demand.  Juxton  alone,  whose 
courage  was  not  inferior  to  his  other  virtues,  counsel- 
led the  king  not  to  act  contrary  to  his  conscience. 

Strafford,  hearing  of  the  irresolution  and  anxiety  of» 
Charles,  wrote  to  the  king,  and  with  a noble  effort  of 
magnanimity,  entreated  him,  for  the  sake  of  public 
peace,  to  put  an  end  to  his  unfortunate,  however  inno- 
cent life,  and  to  quiet  the  tumultuous  populace,  by 
granting  the  request  for  which  they  were  so  importu- 
nate. “ In  this/7  added  he,  u my  consent  will  more 
acquit  you  to  God  than  all  the  world  can  do  besides. 
To  a willing  man  there  is  no  injury.” 

After  suffering  the  most  agonizing  conflicts,  Charles 
at  last  granted  a commission  to  four  noblemen  to  give 
his  assent  to  the  bill ; and  he  also  empowered  them 
at  the  same  time,  to  sanction  a bill  which  was  still 
more  fatal  to  his  interests,  and  by  which  the  parlia- 
ment could  neither  be  adjourned  nor  dissolved  with- 
out their  own  consent. 

Secretary  Carleton  was  sent  by  the  king  to  inform 
Strafford  of  the  final  result*,  and  the  unhappy  earl  at 
first  appeared  surprised  ; but  soon  collecting  his  na- 
tive courage,  he  prepared  for  the  fatal  event,  which 
was  to  take  place  after  an  interval  of  three  days.  Du- 
ring this  period,  Charles  endeavoured  to  obtain  from 
the  parliament  a mitigation  of  his  sentence,  or  at  least 
some  delay,  but  was  refused  both  requests. 

Strafford,  in  passing  from  his  apartments  to  Tower- 
hill,  where  the  scaffold  was  erected,  stopped  under 
Laud’s  windows,  and  entreated  the  assistance  of  his 
prayers.  The  aged  primate,  dissolved  in  tears,  pro- 
nounced a tender  blessing  on  his  departing  friend,  and 
sunk  into  the  arms  of  his  attendants.  Strafford,  how- 
ever, still  superior  to  his  fate,  passed  on  with  an  elat- 
ed countenance,  and  an  air  of  dignity  ; and  his  mind 
maintained  its  unbroken  resolution  amidst  the  terrors 


56 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


©F  death,  and  the  unfeeling  exultations  of  his  misguided 
enemies.  His  speech  on  the  scaffold  was  replete  with 
fortitude  and  Christian  hope,  and  at  one  blow  he  was 
launched  into  eternity. 

Thus  perished,  in  the  forty-ninth  year  of  his  ago, 
one  of  the  most  eminent  personages  that  has  appear- 
ed in  England,  and  the  most  faithful  of  the  adherents 
of  Charles  ; but  his  death  was  so  far  from  producing 
that  calm  which  the  king  had  expected  from  the  sacri- 
fice, that  the  commons  renewed  their  claims,  extorted 
an  abolition  of  the  high  commission  and  star-chamber 
courts,  and  remedied  various  other  abuses  which  mil- 
itated against  the  principles  of  constitutional  freedom 

During  this  busy  period,  the  princess  Mary  had  been 
married  to  William,  prince  of  Orange,  with  the  appro- 
bation of  parliament.  A small  committee  of  both 
houses  was  appointed  to  attend  the  king  into  Scotland, 
which  he  had  resolved  to  visit ; and  Charles,  despoil- 
ed in  England  of  a considerable  part  of  his  authority, 
arrived  in  Scotland  only  to  abdicate  the  small  share 
which  remained  to  him  in  that  kingdom. 

Charles,  unable  to  resist,  had  been  obliged  to  yield 
to  the  Irish,  as  wall  as  to  the  Scottish  and  English 
parliaments  ; and  the  commons  of  England,  jealous  ot 
a standing  army  in  Ireland,  entirely  attached  to  the 
king,  prevailed  on  his  majesty,  contrary  to  his  own 
judgment,  to  disband  it. 

Though  the  animosity  of  the  Irish  against  the  Eng- 
lish nation  appeared  to  be  extinguished,  they  were  no 
sooner  freed  from  the  dread  of  a military  force,  than  a 
gentleman,  called  Roger  More,  formed  the  project  of 
expelling  the  English,  and  asserting  the  independence 
of  his  native  country.  This  man  maintained  a close 
correspondence  with  lord  Maguire  and  sir  Phelim 
O’Neale,  the  most  powerful  of  the  old  Irish  ; and  he 
secretly  went  lrom  chieftain  to  chieftain,  and  roused  up 
every  latent  principle  of  discontent.  The  reasons  of 
More  engaged  all  the  heads  of  the  native  Irish  in  the 
conspiracy.  The  insurrection  became  general  ; and  a 
massacre  of  the  English  commenced,  in  which,  when 
it  took  place,  neither  age,  sex,  nor  condition,  was 
spared.  The  old,  the  young,  the  vigorous,  and  the  in 
firm,  underwent  a like  fate,  and  were  confounded  in 
one  common  ruin.  In  vain  was  recourse  had  to  rela- 


CHARLES  I. 


51 

tions  or  friends  3 the  dearest  ties  were  torn  asunder 
without  pity  or  remorse  3 and  death  was  dealt  by  that 
hand,  from  which  prelection  was  implored  and  expect- 
ed. 

Death,  however,  was  the  slightest  punishment  in- 
flicted by  the  Irish.  All  the  tortures  which  wanton 
cruelty  could  devise,  all  the  lingering  pains  of  body, 
and  anguish  of  mind,  which  malicious  ingenuity  could 
invent,  were  now  put  in  practice  3 and  the  generous 
nature  of  M^re  was  shocked  at  the  recital  of  such 
enormous  cruelties  3 but  found  that  his  authority, 
though  sufficient  to  excite  the  Irish  to  an  insurrection, 
was  unable  to  restrain  their  inhumanity. 

The  saving  of  Dublin  alone  preserved  in  Ireland  the 
remains  of  the  English  name.  The  gates  of  that  city, 
though  timorously  opened,  received  the  wretched  sup- 
plicants, and  presented  to  the  view  a scene  of  human 
misery  beyond  description.  Diseases  of  unknown 
name  and  species,  derived  from  their  multiplied  dis- 
tresses, seized  many,  and  put  a period  to  their  lives  5 
others,  having  now  leisure  to  reflect  on  their  severe 
oss  of  friends  and  fortune,  cursed  that  being  which 
ney  had  preserved. 

Charles  found  himself  obliged  in  this  exigency  to 
nave  recourse  to  parliament  5 but  that  assembly  mani- 
fested the  same  opposition  to  the  king  in  which  they 
had  separated  j and  the  increasing  of  their  own  author- 
ity, and  the  diminishing  of  the  regal  power,  were  the 
objects  still  pursued.  By  assuming  the  total  manage- 
ment of  the  war  in  Ireland,  they  deprived  the  crown 
of  its  executive  power  3 and  it  was  even  roundly  in- 
sinuated, that  the  pernicious  counsels  by  which 
Charles  had  been  guided,  had  given  rise  to  the  popish 
rebellion. 

To  render  the  attack  on  royalty  more  systematic, 
the  commons  framed  a general  remonstrance  of  the 
6tate  of  the  nation,  comprising  every  real  or  suppos- 
ed grievance,  from  the  accession  of  Charles  5 and  this 
was  published  without  being  carried  up  to  the  house 
of  peers  for  their  assent  and  concurrence. 

This  violent  measure  extremely  agitated  the  sobei 
and  reflecting  3 and  Charles  immediately  published  an 
answer  to  the  remonstrance,  in  which  he  made  the 
warmest  protestations  of  his  sinceie  attachment  to  th« 


1 


3S 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


established  religion,  expatiated  with  truth  on  the  great 
concessions  he  had  lately  made  in  favour  of  civil  lib- 
erty, and  complained  of  the  reproaches  with  which  his 
person  and  government  were  attacked  ; but  the  ears  of 
the  people  were  prejudiced  against  him,  and  nothing 
he  could  offer  appeared  to  them  a sufficient  apology 
for  his  former  misconduct. 

The  commons  resumed  their  encroachments;  and 
every  measure  pursued  by  them  showed  their  deter 
mined  resolution  to  reform  the  whole  fabric  of  civil 
and  religious  government.  The  majority  of  the  peers, 
of  course,  adhered  to  the  king,  and  saw  the  depression 
of  their  own  order  in  the  usurpations  on  the  crown  ; 
but  some  of  them,  finding  their  credit  high  with  the 
nation,  ventured  to  encourage  those  popular  disor- 
ders, which  they  vainly  imagined  they  could  hereaf- 
ter regulate  and  control. 

The  pulpits  resounded  with  the  dangers  whick. 
threatened  religion;  and  the  populace  crowded  round 
Whitehall,  and  threw  out  menaces  against  Charles 
himself.  Several  gentlemen  now  offered  their  servi- 
ces to  the  king;  and  between  them  and  the  rabble 
frequent  skirmishes  took  place.  By  way  of  reproach, 
these  gentlemen  gave  the  mobility  the  appellation  of 
Roundheads,  on  account  of  the  short  cropt  hair  which 
they  wore;  and  the  latter  retorted  by  calling  them 
Cavaliers.  Thus  the  nation,  already  sufficiently  di- 
vided by  religious  and  civil  disputes,  was  supplied 
with  party  n-ames,  under  which  the  factious  might  ren- 
dezvous and  signalize  their  mutual  hatred. 

Williams,  archbishop  of  York,  having  been  abused 
by  the  populace,  hastily  called  a meeting  of  his  breth- 
ren, and  prevailed  on  them  to  state  in  an  address  to 
the  king,  that  though  they  had  an  undoubted  right  to  sit 
in  parliament,  they  could  no  longer  attend  with  safety, 
and  therefore  protested  against  all  laws  which  should 
be  made  during  their  absence.  This  ill-timed  protes- 
tation afforded  an  opportunity  of  joy  and  triumph  to 
the  commons.  An  impeachment  of  high-treason  was 
immediately  sent  up  against  the  bishops,  as  endeav- 
ouring to  invalidate  the  authority  of  the  legisla- 
ture ; and,  in  consequence,  they  were  sequestered 
from  parliament,  and  committed  to  custody. 

A few  days  after,  Charles  was  betrayed  into  a verj 


CHARLES  I. 


39 


fatal  act  of  indiscretion,  to  which  all  the  ensuing  dis- 
orders  and  civil  wars  ought  immediately  and 
1 •*  directly  be  ascribed.  Imputing  the  increasing 

insolence  of  the  commons  to  his  too  great  facility,  he 
was  advised  to  exert  the  vigour  of  a sovereign,  and 
punish  Lhe  daring  usurpations  of  his  subjects.  Accord 
ingly,  Herbert,  attorney-general,  appeared  in  the  house 
of  peers,  and,  in  his  majesty’s  name,  entered  an  accu 
sation  of  high-treason  against  lord  Kimbolton,  and  five 
commoners,  Hollis,  Haseltig,  Hampden,  Pym,  and 
Strode,  for  having  endeavoured  to  subvert  the  funda- 
mental laws  and  government  of  the  kingdom,  and  to 
alienate  the  affections  of  the  people.  A sergeant-at- 
arms,  in  the  king’s  name,  demanded  of  the  house  the 
five  members  5 and  being  sent  back  without  any 
positive  answer,  Charles  resolved  next  day  to  go  in 
person  to  the  house,  and  see  his  orders  executed. 

The  members,  informed  of  the  design,  had  time  to 
withdraw,  a moment  before  the  king  entered,  who, 
leaving  his  retinue  at  the  door,  advanced  alone  through 
the  lobby  3 and  the  speaker  withdrawing,  his  majesty 
took  possession  of  the  chair.  The  king  told  the  house 
that  he  must  have  the  accused  persons  produced,  but 
that  he  would  proceed  against  them  in  a fair  and  legal 
way.  The  commons  were  in  the  utmost  disorder 3 
and  when  Charles  was  departing,  some  members  cri- 
ed aloud “ privilege  ! privilege  1”  and  the  house  im- 
mediately adjourned  till  next  day. 

The  same  evening,  the  accused  members  removed 
into  the  city  3 and  the  citizens  were  the  whole  night 
under  arms.  Next  morning,  Charles  ordered  the  lord- 
mayor  to  summon  a common-council,  which  he  attend- 
ed himself,  and  told  them,  that  he  had  accused  cer 
tain  men  of  high-treason,  against  whom  he  would  pro- 
ceed in  a legal  way,  and,  therefore,  presumed  that 
they  would  not  meet  with  protection  in  the  city. 
After  many  gracious  expressions,  he  left  the  hall  with- 
out receiving  the  applause  which  he  expected  3 and, 
in  passing  through  the  streets,  he  heard  the  cry  of 
“ privilege  of  parliament,”  resounding  from  all  quar 
ters. 

The  king,  apprehensive  of  personal  danger,  retired 
to  Hampton-court,  overwhelmed  with  grief,  shame 
and -remorse.  Fully  sensible  of  his  imprudence,  he 


. ‘.v 


40  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

wished  to  waive  all  thoughts  of  a prosecution,  and 
offered  any  reparation  to  the  house  for  the  breach  of 
privilege,  of  which,  he  acknowledged,  they  had  rea- 
son to  complain.  The  parliament,  however,  were  re 
solved  to  accept  of  no  satisfaction. 

Hitherto  a great  majority  of  the  lords  had  adhered 
to  the  king,  but  they  now  yielded  to  the  torrent ; and 
the  pressing  bill,  with  its  preamble,  and  the  bill  against 
bishops  voting  in  parliament,  were  now  passed.  The 
queen  prevailed  with  Charles  to  give  his  assent  to 
these  bills,  in  hopes  of  appeasing  for  a time  the  rage 
of  the  people,  and  of  gaining  for  her  an  opportunity  of 
withdrawing  into  Holland. 

These  concessions,  however,  only  paved  the  way 
for  more  demands  ; and  the  parliament  proceeded 
with  hasty  steps  to  monopolize  all  the  legislative 
and  executive  power.  That  his  consent  to  the  mili- 
tia-bill might  not  be  extorted  by  violence,  the  king 
retired  to  York,  attended  by  his  two  sons.  Here  he 
found  a zeal  and  attachment  to  which  he  had  not  been 
lately  accustomed  ; and  from  all  parts  of  England,  the 
chief  nobility  and  gentry  offered  their  allegiance,  and 
exhorted  him  to  save  himself  and  them  from  the  slave 
ry  with  which  they  were  threatened. 

Each  party  now  wished  to  throw  on  the  other  the 
odium  of  commencing  a civil  war;  and  while  both 
prepared  for  an  event  which  they  deemed  inevitable, 
the  war  of  the  pen  preceded  that  of  the  sword  and 
daily  sharpened  the  humours  of  the  opposite  par- 
ties. Here  Charles  had  a double  advantage.  Not  only 
his  cause  was  now  unquestionably  the  best ; but  it  was 
defended,  by  lord  Falkland,  who  had  accepted  the  of- 
fice of  secretary,  and  who  adorned  the  purest  virtue 
with  the  richest  gifts  of  nature,  and  the  most  valuable 
acquisitions  of  learning. 

It  was  evident,  however,  that  keener  weapons  than 
manifestoes,  remonstrances,  and  declarations,  must 
determine  the  dispute.  To  the  ordinance  of  the  par 
liament  concerning  the  militia,  the  king  opposed  his 
commissions  of  array  ; and  the  counties  obeyed  the  one 
or  the  other,  according  as  they  stood  affected.  Hull 
contained  a.large  magazine  of  arms;  and  it  being  sus- 
pected that  sir  John  Hotham,  the  governor,  was  not 
touch  inclined  to  the  parliament,  the  king  presented 


CHARLES  I. 


41 


himself  before  the  place,  in  hopes  of  quietly  obtaining 
possession  of  it.  The  governor,  however,  shut  the 
gates,  and  refused  to  admit  the  king  with  only  twenty 
attendants.  Charts  immediately  proclaimed  him  a 
traitor  j but  the  parliament  justified  and  applauded  the 
action. 

Both  sides  now  levied  troops  with  the  utmost  activi- 
ty. The  parliamentary  army  was  given  to  the  earl  of 
Essex,  and  in  London  no  Less  than  four  thousand  per* 
sons  enlisted  in  it  in  one  day.  The  splendour  of  no- 
bility, however,  with  which  the  king  was  surrounded, 
much  eclipsed  the  appearance  at  Westminster.  Lord- 
keeper  Littleton,  and  above  forty  peers  of  the  first 
rank,  attended  Charles  ; while  the  house  of  lords  sel- 
dom consisted  of  more  than  sixteen  members.  The 
parliament,  in  order  that  they  might  reduce  the  king 
to  despair  of  a compromise,  s.ent  him  their  demands 
in  nineteen  propositions  ; but  they  appeared  so  extrav- 
agant, that  Charles  replied,  11  Should  I grant  these  de- 
mands, l may  be  waited  on  bare-headed  ; the  title  of 
majesty  may  be  continued  to  me  ; but  as  to  true  and 
real  power,  I should  remain  but  the  outside,  but  the 
picture,  but  the  sign  of  a king.”  War  on  any  terms 
seemed  to  the  king  and  his  counsellors  preferable  to 
such  ignominious  conditions  ; and,  therefore,  collect- 
ing some  forces,  he  advanced  southward,  and  at  Not- 
tingham erected  the  royal  standard,  the  open  signal  of 
civil  war. 

When  two  names  so  sacred  in  the  English  consti 
tution  as  those  of  King  and  Parliament  were  set  in 
opposition,  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  people,  divided  in 
their  choice,  were  agitated  with  the  most  violent  ani- 
mosities and  factions.  The  nobility  and  more  con- 
siderable gentry,  dreading  a total  subversion  of  order, 
generally  enlisted  themselves  in  defence  of  the  king; 
while  most  of  the  corporations,  as  being  republican  in 
their  principles  of  government,  took  part  with  the  par- 
liament. 

Never  was  a quarrel  more  unequal,  than  seemed  at 
first  that  between  the  contending  parties  ; almost  eve- 
ry advantage  lay  on  the  side  of  the  parliament,  which 
nad  seized  the  king’s  revenues,  and  converted  the  sup. 
plies  to  their  own  use  ; and  the  torrent  of  general  af 
fection  ran  also  to  the  parliament.  The  king’s  adher 


42  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND, 

ents  were  stigmatized  with  the  epithets  of  wicked  and 
malignant;  while  their  adversaries  were  denominated 
the  godly  and  well-affected. 

The  low  condition  in  which  tKe  king  appeared  at 
Nottingham,  where  his  infantry,  besides  the  trained 
bands  of  the  county,  did  not  exceed  three  hundred, 
and  his  cavalry  eight  hundred,  confirmed  the  contempt 
of  the  parliament.  Their  forces  stationed  at  North- 
ampton consisted  of  above  six  thousand  men,  well 
armed  and  appointed 3 and  had  these  troops  advanced 
upon  the  king,  they  must  soon  have  dissipated  the 
small  force  which  Charles  had  assembled  3 but  it  was 
probably  hoped,  that  the  royalists,  sensible  of  their 

{feeble  condition,  and  slender  resources,  would  dis- 
perse of  themselves,  and  leave  their  adversaries  a 
[ bloodless  victory. 

On  a message  being  sent  by  Charles,  with  overtures 
for  an  accommodation,  the  parliament  demanded  as  a 
preliminary,  that  the  king  should  dismiss  his  forces, 
and  give  up  delinquents  to  their  justice  ; and  both 
parties  believed,  that  by  this  message  and  reply,  the 
people 'would  be  rendered  fully  sensible  of  the  inten- 
tions of  each. 

In  the  mean  time,  Portsmouth,  which  had  declared 
for  the  king,  was  obliged  to  surrender  to  the  parlia- 
mentary forces  3 and  the  marquis  of  Hertford,  whom 
Charles  had  appointed  general  of  the  western  coun- 
ties, and  had  drawn  together  a small  army,  being  at- 
tacked by  a considerable  force  under  the  earl  of  Bed- 
ford, was  obliged  to  pass  over  into  Wales,  leaving  sir 
Ralph  Hopton,  sir  John  Berkley,  and  others,  with 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty  horse,  to  march  into 
» Cornwall. 

The  parliamentary  army,  amounting  to  fifteen  thou- 
sand men.  under  the  earl  of  Essex,  now  advanced  to 
Northampton  ; and  the  king  withdrew  to  Shrewsbury, 
where  he  made  a public  declaration  of  his  resolution 
to  maintain  the  established  religion,  and  to  govern  in 
future  by  the  laws  and  customs  of  the  kingdom.  While 
he  lay  at  Shrewsbury,  he  received  the  news  of  the 
first  action  of  any  consequence,  which  had  yet  taken 
place,  and  in  which  he  was  successful. 

On  the  appearance  of  civil  commotions  in  England 
the  princes  Rupert  and  Maurice,  sons  of  the  unfurl u 


n 


r 


nate  palatine,  and  nephews  of  Charles,  had  offered 
their  services  to  the  king;  and  the  foimer,  at  that 
time,  commanded  a body  of  horse,  which  had  been 
sent  to  Worcester,  in  order  to  watch  the  motions  of 
Essex,  who  was  marching  towards  that  city.  A de- 
tached party,  under  colonel  Sandys,  was  complete- 
ly routed,  and  their  leader  killed  ; and  this  action  ac- 
quired to  prince  Rupert  that  character  for  promptitude 
• and  courage,  which  he  eminently  displayed  during  the 
whole  course  of  the  war. 

The  king,  now  mustering  his  army,  found  it  to 
amount  to  ten  thousand  men.  The  earl  of  Lindsey 
was  general,  prince  Rupert  commanded  the  horse,  sir 
Jacob  Astley  the  foot,  and  lord  Bernard  Stewart  was 
at  the  head  of  a troop  of  guards,  whose  estates  and 
revenue,  according  to  lord  Clarendon,  were  at  least 
equal  to  those  of  all  the  members,  who,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  war,  voted  in  both  houses. 

With  this  army  the  king  left  Shrewsbury,  resolved 
to  bring  on  an  action  as  soon  as  possible.  The  royal 
army  arrived  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Banbury,  while 
that  of  the  parliament  was  at  Keinton,  only  a few 
miles  distant.  Both  parties  advancing,  they  met  at 
Edge-hill,  and  fought  with  various  success.  The  cav- 
alry and  the  right  wing  of  the  parliament  army  were 
defeated  ; but  sir  William  Balfour,  who  commanded 
the  reserve  of  Essex,  perceiving  the  enemy  in  disor 
and  busied  in  plundering,  attacked  the  king’s  in- 
fantry, and  made  a dreadful  havock.  The  earl  of 
Lindsey  was  mortally  wounded,  and  taken  prisoner; 
and  sir  Edmund  Verney,  the  king’s  standard  bearer, 
was  killed.  The  two  armies  gradually  recovered  their 
ranks,  but  neither  cf  them  had  courage  for  a new  at- 
tack. The  earl  of  Essex  retired  to  Warwick,  and 
Charles  continued  his  march  to  Oxford,  the  only  town 
at  his  devotion. 

After  the  royal  army  had  been  refreshed  and  re- 
cruited, the  king  advanced  to  Reading,  from  which, 
on  the  approach  of  a body  of  horse,  the  governor  and 
garrison  being  seized  with  a panic,  fled  precipitately 
to  London.  The  parliament,  who  had  expected  a 
bloodless  victory  over  Charles,  were  now  alarmed  at 
the  near  approach  of  the  royal  army,  and  voted  an  ad- 
dress for  a treaty.  The  king  named  Windsor  as  the 


i 


44 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


place  of  conference  ; but  Essex  having  arrived  at  Lon 
don,  Charles  attacked  two  regiments  quartered  at 
Brentford,  beat  them  from  that  village,  and  took  about 
five  hundred  prisoners.  Loud  complaints  were  raised 
against  this  attack,  pending  a negociation  3 and  the 
city,  inflamed  with  resentment,  joined  its  trained*  bands 
to  the  parliamentary  army,  which,  by  that  means,  was 
rendered  much  superior  to  that  of  the  king,  who,  in 
consequence,  judged  it  prudent  to  retire  to  Reading,® 
and  from  thence. to  Oxford. 

The  conferences  between  the  king  and  parliament 
had  commenced  without  any  cessation  of  hostilities ; 
and  it  was  soon  found,  that  there  was  no  probability 
1 fit'll  com'n»  an  agreement.  The  earl  of  Essex 
laid  siege  to  Reading  3 and  Fielding,  the  gov- 
ernor, consented  to  yield  the  town,  on  condition  that 
he  should  bring  off  the  garrison,  and  deliver  up  deser- 
ters. For  this  last  article,  so  ignominious  in  itself,  and 
so  prejudicial  to  the  king’s  interests,  the  governor  was 
tried  by  a council  of  war,  and  condemned  to  lose  his 
life,  but  the  sentence  was  afterwards  remitted. 

In  the  north,  lord  Fairfax  commanded  for  the  parlia- 
ment, and  the  earl  of  Newcastle  for  the  king.  The  laj 
ter  united  in  a league  for  the  king,  the  counties  of 
Northumberland,  Cumberland,  Westmoreland,  and  Dur- 
ham, and  afterwards  engaged  some  other  counties  in 
the  association.  Finding  that  Fairfax  was  making  some 
progress  in  Yorkshire,  he  advanced  with  a body  offoui 
thousand  men,  and  took  possession  of  York  ; and  at 
Tadcaster  he  attacked  the  forces  of  the  parliament, 
and  dislodged  them  5 but  his  victory  was  not  decisive. 

Sir  William  Waller  began  to  distinguish  himself  as  a 
parliamentary  general.  After  taking  Winchester  and 
Chichester,  he  defeated  lord  Herbert,  who  had  laid 
siege  to  Gloucester,  with  a considerable  body  of  forces 
levied  in  Wales. 

In  the  west,  sir  Bevil  Granville,  sir  Ralph  Hopton 
sir  Nicholas  Slanning,  Arundel,  and  Trevannion,  had, 
at  their  own  charges,  raised  an  army  for  the  king,  and 
successively  defeated  the  parliamentary  generals,  Rulh- 
ven  and  lord  Stamford,  on  Bradoc  Down,  and  at  Strat 
ton.  After  this  success,  the  attention  of  both  king 
and  parliament  was  directed  to  the  west  j and  the  mar- 
quis of  Hertford  and  prince  Maurice  having  joined  tb* 


CHARLES  I. 


4a 


Cornish  army,  over-ran  the  county  of  Devon,  and 
threatened  that  of  Somerset.  Waller  advanced  with 
a considerable  force  to  check  their  progress  3 and  the 
two  armies  met  at  Lansdown,  near  Bath,  and  fought  a 
pitched  battle,  but  without  any  decisive  event.  The 
gallant  Granville,  however,  was  killed  in  the  action, 
and  Hopton  was  dangerously  wounded.  The  royalists 
next  attempt  ed  to  march  eastwards,  and  join  the  king’s 
forces  at  Oxford  3 but  Waller  hanging  on  their  rear,  a 
battle  took  place  at  Roundway-down,  near  Devizes,  in 
which  the  parliamentary  army  was  entirely  routed  and 
dispersed.  This  important  victory  struck  the  parlia- 
ment with  dismay,  which  was  increased  by  the  death 
of  the  celebrated  Hampden,  who  fell  in  a skirmish  at 
Chalgrove,  in  Oxfordshire.  Many  were  the  virtues 
and  talents  of  this  eminent  man,  whose  valour  in  war 
equalled  his  eloquence  in  the  senate,  and  his  resolu- 
tion at  the  bar  3 and  Charles  valued  him  so  highly, 
that  when  he  heard  of  his  being  wounded,  he  offered 
to  send  his  own  surgeon  to  attend  him. 

Essex,  discouraged  by  this  event,  retired  towards 
London  ; and  the  king,  freed  from  this  enemy,  sent’ 
his  army  westward,  under  prince  Rupert,  who  besieg- 
ed and  took  the  city  of  Bristol.  Charles  joined  the 
camp  at  Bristol  3 and  some  strongly  urged  to  march 
directly  to  London,  where  all  was  confusion  and  dis- 
may, as  the  most  likely  means  of  rendering  the  royal 
cause  successful  over  its  adversaries ' but  the  resolu- 
tion of  investing  the  city  of  Gloucester  was  fatally 
adopted. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  summer,  a combination  had 
been  formed,  by  Edmund  Waller,  the  poet,  a member 
of  the  lower  house,  to  oblige  the  parliament  to  accept 
of  reasonable  conditions,  and  to  restore  peace  to  the 
nation.  For  the  execution  of  this  project,  he  associ- 
ated  with  him  Tomkins,  his  brother-in-law,  and  Cha- 
oner  the  friend  of  Tomkins,  whose  influence  in  thq 
city  was  considerable  5 but  intelligence  of  the  design 
being  conveyed  to  Pym,  they  were  tried  anJ  condemn- 
ed by  a court  martial  3 and  Tomkins  and  Chaloner 
were  executed.  Waller,  with  much  difficulty,  escaped, 
on  paying  a fine  of  ten  thousand  pounds. 

After  relieving  Gloucester,  besieged  by  the  king, 
Essex  proceeded  towards  London  3 but  when  he  reach' 


46 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


ed  Newbury,  he  found  that  the  royal  army  already  oc- 
cupied the  place,  and  that  an  action  was  unavoidable 
On  both  sides,  the  battle  was  fought  with  desperate 
valour;  but  night  put  an  end  to  the  action,  and  left 
the  victory  undecided.  Essex  continued  his  march  to 
London  ; and  the  king  following,  retook  Reading,  in 
which  he  placed  a garrison.  In  the  battle  of  New- 
bury, fell  Lucius  Cary,  viscount  Falkland,  secretary 
to  the  king;  a man  eminent  for  his  abilities,  and  for 
every  virtue  which  adorns  humanity.  On  the  morning 
of  the  day  on  which  he  met  his  fate,  he  had  shown 
more  than  usual  care  in  dressing  hin'.self,  and  gave  for 
a reason,  that  the  enemy  might  not  find  his  body  in 
any  slovenly  indecent  situation.  “ I am  weary,”  he 
subjoined,  “ of  the  times,  and  foresee  much  misery  to 
my  country  ; but  believe  I shall  be  out  of  it  ere  night.” 
He  was  only  thirty-four  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his 
death. 

In  the  north,  the  influence  and  popularity  of  the  earl, 
now  created  Marquis  of  Newcastle,  had  raised  a con 
siderable  force  for  the  king;  but  he  was  opposed  by 
two  men,  on  whom  the  event  of  the  war  finally  de- 
pended, and  who  began  about  this  time  to  be  distin- 
guished for  their  valour  and  military  conduct.  These 
were  sir  Thomas  Fairfax,  son  of  the  lord  of  that  name, 
and  Oliver  Cromwell.  The  former  gained  a consid- 
erable victory  at  Wakefield,  and  the  latter  at  Gains- 
borough ; but  these  defeats  of  the  royalists  were  more 
than  compensated  by  thetotal  defeat  of  lord  Fairfax,  at 
Atherston  Moor.  After  this  victory,  Newcastle  sat 
down  with  his  army  before  Hull ; but  Hotham,  the 
former  governor,  having  expressed  an  intention  to  fa- 
vour the  king’s  interest,  had  some  time  before  been 
sent  to  London,  where  he  and  his  son  fell  victims  to 
the  severity  of  the  parliament. 

Newcastle  suffered  so  much  by  a sally  of  the  garri- 
son, that  he  was  obliged  to  raise  the  siege ; and  about 
the  same  time,  Manchester  having  joined  Cromwell 
and  young  Fairfax,  obtained  a considerable  victory 
over  the  royalists  at  Horncastle.  Thus  fortune  seem- 
ed to  balance  her  favours  ; but  the  king's  party  still 
remained  much  superior  in  the  north  ; *and  had  it  not 
been  for  the  garrison  of  Hull,  which  awed  Yorkshire,  a 
conjunction  of  the  northern  forces  with  the  army  of  ths 


CHARLES  I. 


47 


south  had  probably  enabled  Charles  to  march  directly 
to  London,  and  finish  the  war,  instead  of  wasting  both 
his  time  and  resources  in  the  siege  of  Gloucester. 

As  the  event  became  more  doubtful,  both  parties 
sought  for  assistance  ; the  parliament  in  Scotland,  and 
the  king  in  Ireland.  The  farmer  easily  prevailed  on 
the  Scottish  covenanters  to  espouse  their  cause,  by 
joining  in  a solemn  league  and  covenant,  mutually  to 
defend  each  other  against  all  opponents,  and  to  pro- 
mote their  respective  aims  and  designs  ; and  Charles, 
having  agreed  to  a cessation  of  hostilities  in  Ireland, 
where  the  English  had  regained  the  ascendency,  pro- 
cured considerable  bodies  of  troops  from  that  king- 
dom. 

The  king,  that  he  might  make  preparations  for  the 
1T4.41  ensuing'camPalgn>  endeavoured  to  avail  himself 
7 of  the  appearance  of  a parliament,  and  summon- 
ed to  Oxford  all  .the  members  of  either  house  who  ad- 
hered to  his  interest.  A great  majority  of  the  peers 
attended  him  ; but  the  commons  were  not  half  so  nu- 
merous as  those  who  sat  at  Westminster.  The  parlia- 
ment at  Westminster  having  voted  an  excise  on  beer, 
wine,  and  other  commodities,  those  at  Oxford-imitated 
the  example,  and  conferred  that  revenue  on  the  king; 
and  this  was  the  first  introduction  of  an  excise  into 
England. 

The  same  winter  the  famous  Pym  died ; a man  as 
much  hated  by  one  party,  as  respected  by  the  other. 
However,  he  had  been  little  studious  of  .improving  his 
private  fortune  ; and  the  parliament,  out  of  gratitude, 
discharged  the  debts  which  he  had  contracted. 

The  forces  from  Ireland,  under  the  command  of 
ion!  Byron,  after  obtaining  considerable  advantages  in 
Cheshire,  invested  Nantwich,  but  were  completely 
defeated  by  sir  Thomas  Fairfax,  who,  in  the  sequel, 
routed  a large  body  of  troops  at  Selby.  Leven,  the 
Scotch  commander,  having  joined  lord  Fairfax,  they  . 
gat  down  before  York,  to  which  the  army  of  the  roy- 
alists had  retired.  Hopeton  was  defeated  by  Waller 
at  Chcrrington  ; but  prince  Rupert  relieved  Newark, 
which  the  parliamentary  forces  had  besieged. 

The  earl  of  Manchester  having  taken  Lincoln,  unit- 
ed his  army  to  that  of  Leven  and  Fairfax;  and  York, 
though  vigorously  defended  by  Newcastle,  was  reduc 


-J 


*8  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND 

ed  to  the  last  extremity,  when  the  besiegers  were 
alarmed  by  the  approach  of  prince  Rupert,  at  the  head 
of  twenty  thousand  men.  The  Scottish  and  parlia- 
mentary generals  drew  upon  Marston  Moor  to  give 
battle  to  the  royalists  ; and  Newcastle  endeavoured 
to  persuade  the  prince  to  wait,  and  leave  the  enemy 
to  dissolve  by  their  growing  dissentions  ; but  Rupert, 
whose  martial  disposition  was  not  sufficiently  temper- 
ed with  prudence,  rejected  the  advice,  and  led  on  his 
troops  to  the  charge.  This  action  was  obstinately  dis- 
puted, and  fought  with  various  success;  but  after  the 
utmost  efforts  of  courage  by  both  parties,  victory 
wholly  turned  on  the  side  of  the  parliament.  The 
prince’s  train  of  artillery  was  taken,  and  his  whole  ar- 
my pushed  off  the  field  of  battle. 

This  engagement,  in  which  Cromwell  manifested 
great  courage  and  abilities,  proved  very  fatal  to  the 
king’s  interest.  Newcastle,  disgusted  at  the  treat- 
ment which  he  had  received  from  the  prince,  and  en- 
raged that  all  his  successful  labours  should  be  ren- 
dered abortive  by  one  act  of  temerity,  determined  to 
leave  the  kingdom.  He  retired  to  the  continent, 
where  he  lived  till  the  restoration,  in  great  necessity, 
and  saw  with  indifference  his  opulent  fortune  seques- 
tered by  those  who  assumed  the  reins  of  government. 

Prince  Rupert  drew  off  the  remains  of  his  army, 
and  retired  into  Lancashire  ; and  York  surrendered  to 
Fairfax,  while  Newcastle  was  taken  by  storm. 

Ruthven,  a Scotsman,  who  had  been  created  earl  of 
Brentford,  managed  the  king's  affairs  in  the  south  with 
more  success.  Essex  and  Waller  marched  with  their 
combined  armies  towards  Oxford  ; and  the  king,  leav- 
ing a numerous  garrison  in  that  city,  dexterously  pass- 
ed between  the  two  armies,  and  marched  towards 
Worcester.  Waller  received  orders  from  Essex  to 
follow  him,  while  he  himself  proceeded  westward  in 
quest  of  prince  Maurice.  Waller  had  approached 
v/ithin  two  miles  of  the  royal  camp,  when  he  received 
intelligence  that  the  king  had  directed  his  course  to- 
wards Shrewsbury;  and  the  parliamentary  general 
hastened  by  quick  marches  to  that  town  ; but  Charles 
suddenly  retraced  his  former  steps,  and  having  rein 
forced  his  army,  in  his  turn  marched  out  in  quest  of 
Waller.  At  Crupredy-bridge,  near  Banbury,  the  two 


CHARLES  I. 


4$ 


armies  faced  each  other,  with  only  the  Cherwell  run- 
ning between  them.  Waller,  attempting  to  pass  the 
bridge,  was  repulsed ; and  his  army,  disheartened  by 
this  unexpected  defeat,  began  to  melt  away  by  deser- 
tion. The  king  thought  he  might  safely  leave  it,  and 
marched  westward  against  Essex  ; and  having  cooped 
him  up  in  a narrow  corner  at  Lestithiel,  reduced  him 
to  the  last  extremity.  Essex,  Robarts,  and  some  of 
the  principal  officers,  escaped  in  a boat  to  Plymouth. 
Balfour,  with  his  horse,  passed  the  king’s  posts  in  a 
thicli  mist  5 but  the  foot  under  Skippon  were  obliged  to 
surrender. 

That  the  king  might  have  less  reason  to  exult  in 
this  advantage,  the  parliament  opposed  to  him  very 
numerous  forces  under  Manchester,  Cromwell,  and 
Waller.  Charles  chose  his  post  at  Newbury,  where 
the  parliamentary  armies  attacked  him  with  great  vig- 
our 5 and  though  the  king’s  troops  defended  them- 
selves with  valour,  they  were  overpowered  by  num- 
bers, and  night  only  saved  them  from  a total  defeat, 
and  enabled  them  to  reach  Oxford. 

The  discordant  opinions  which  had  arisen  among 
the  parliamentary  generals  in  the  field,  were  now 
transferred  to  the  Senate.  The  independents  now 
appeared  a distinct  body  from  the  presbyterians,  and 
betrayed  very  different  views  and  pretensions.  Vane, 
Cromwell,  Fiennes,  and  St.  John,  were  regarded  as 
the  leaders  of  the  former  5 but  as  a great  majority  in 
the  nation  were  attached  to  the  presbyterians,  it  was 
only  by  cunning  and  deceit  at  first,  and  afterwards  by 
military  violence,  that  the  independents  could  enter- 
tain any  hopes  of  success. 

The  parliament  having  passed  a self-denying  ordin- 
ance, by  which  the  members  of  both  houses  w'ere  ex- 
cluded from  all  civil  and  military  employments,  Es- 
sex, Manchester,  and  others,  resigned  their  com- 
mands. 

It  was  agreed  to  recruit  the  army  to  twenty-two 
16451  t^ousan(l  men,  and  sir  Thomas  Fairfax  was  ap 
•*  pointed  general  5 a man  eminent  for  his  cour- 
age and  humanity,  but  of  little  genius  except  in  war. 
Cromwell,  being  a member  of  the  lower  house,  should 
have  been  discarded  with  the  rest  •,  but  he  was  saved  by 
that  political  craft  in  which  he  was  so  eminent  By 

VOL.  II.  4 


60  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

an  artifice,  which  was,  doubtless,  concerted  between 
them.  Fairfax  requested  that  he  might  be  favoured 
with  the  advice  and  assistance  of  Cromwell,  for  anoth- 
er campaign  j and  thus  the  independents  prevailed  by 
art  and  cunning,  and  bestowed  the  whole  military  au- 
thority apparently  on  Fairfax,  but  in  reality  on  Crom- 
well. The  former  was  entirely  governed  by  the  ge- 
nius and  sagacity  of  the  latter,  whose  strokes  of  char- 
acter were  only  developed  by  the  events  in  which  he 
was  concerned.  His  extensive  capacity  enabled  him 
to  form  the  most  enlarged  projects,  and  his  enterpris- 
ing genius  was  not  dismayed  by  the  boldest  and  most 
dangerous.  By  the  most  profound  dissimulation,  the 
most  oblique  and  refined  artifice,  and  the  semblance 
of  the  greatest  moderation  and  simplicity,  he  conceal- 
ed an  ambitious  and  imperious  mind,  which  ultimately 
led  him  to  the  summit  of  power. 

Negotiations  for  peace  were  once  more  renewed, 
though  with  small  hopes  of  success.  Commissioners 
on  both  sides  met  at  Uxbridge  5 but  it  was  soon  found 
impracticable  to  come  to  any  amicable  adjustment  or- 
the  important  articles  of  religion,  the  militia,  and 
Ireland.  Charles  refused  to  abolish  episcopacy  5 and 
the  parliament  expected  that  the  power  of  the  sword, 
and  the  sovereignty  of  Ireland,  should  remain  in  their 
hands. 

A short  time  before  the  commencement  of  this  trea- 
ty, archbishop  Laud,  after  undergoing  a long  impris- 
onment, was  brought  to  his  trial  for  high  treason,  in 
endeavouring  to  subvert  the  fundamental  laws  of  the 
kingdom.  After  a long  trial,  the  commons,  unable  to 
obtain  a judicial  sentence,  passed  an  ordinance  for  tak- 
ing away  the  life  of  this  aged  prelate,  who  sunk  not 
under  the  horrors  of  his  execution.  “ No  one/'  said 
he,  “can  be  more  willing  to  send  me  out  of  life,  than 
I am  to  go.”  His  head  was  severed  from  his  body  at 
one  blow,  which  removed  him  to  a better  world. 

While  the  king’s  affairs  declined  in  England,  some 
events  took  place  in  Scotland  which  seemed  to  prom- 
ise a more  prosperous  issue  in  that  kingdom.  The 
young  earl  of  Montrose  being  ‘ntroduced  to  his  maj- 
esty, was  so  won  by  the  civilities  and  caresses  of  the 
king,  that  though  he  had  been  employed  in  the  firs' 
Scottish  insurrection,  he  devoted  himself  from  that 


CHARLES  I. 


5i 


time  entirely  to  the  service  of  Charles.  Montrose, 
not  discouraged  by  the  defeat  at  Marston  Moor,  hav 
ing  obtained  from  the  earl  of  Antrim,  a nobleman  of 
Ireland,  a supply  of  eleven  hundred  men  from  that 
country,  immediately  declared  himself,  and  entered 
on  the  career  which  has  rendered  his  name  immortal. 
Several  hundreds  of  his  countiymen  soon  flocked  to 
his  standard  ; P.nd,  with  this  small  force,  he  hastened 
to  attack  lord  Elcho,  who  lay  at  Perth,  with  an  army 
of  six  thousand  men.  Having  received  the  fire  of  the 
enemy,  which  was  chiefly  answered  by  a volley  of 
stones,  for  want  of  arms  and  ammunition,  he  rushed 
among  them,  sword  in  hand,  and  throwing  them  into 
confusion,  obtained  a complete  victory,  with  the 
slaughter  of  two  thousand  covenanters.  Though  the 
majority  of  the  kingdom  was  attached  to  the  cove- 
nant, yet  the  enterprises  of  Montrose  were  attended 
with  the  most  brilliant  success  j and,  after  prevailing 
in  many  battles,  he  prepared  himself  for  marching 
into  the  southern  provinces,  in  order  to  put  a final  pe- 
riod to  the  power  of  the  covenanters. 

While  the  flame  of  war  was  thus  rekindled  in  the 
north,  it  blazed  out  with  no  less  fury  in  the  south. 
Fairfax,  or  rather  Cromwell,  had  new-modelled  the 
parliamentary  army.  Regimental  chaplains  were  in  a 
great  measure  set  aside  ; and  the  officers  assuming 
tho  spiritual  duty,  united  it  with  their  military  func- 
tions, and  during  the  intervals  of  action,  occupied 
themselves  in  sermons,  prayers,  and  exhortations. 
The  private  soldiers,  seized  with  the  same  fanaticism, 
mutually  stimulated  each  other  to  farther  advances 
in  grace  ; and  when  they  were  marching  to  battle, 
the  whole  field  resounded  as  well  with  psalms  and 
spiritual  songs,  as  with  the  instruments  of  military 
music. 

At  Naseby  was  fought,  with  nearly  equal  forces,  a 
decisive  and  well-disputed  action  between  the  king 
and  the  parliament.  Charles  led  on  his  main  body, 
and  displayed  in  this  action  all  the  conduct  of  a pru- 
dent general,  and  all  the  valour  of  a stout  soldier. 
Fairfax  and  Skippon  encountered  him,  and  well  sup- 
ported the  reputation  which  they  had  previously  ac- 
quired. Cromwell  also,  by  his  prudence  and  valour, 
very  materially  contributed  io  turn  the  fortune  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


5>2 

day.  The  royal  infantry  was  totally  discomfited,  and 
Chailes  was  obliged  to  quit  the  field,  and  leave  the 
victory  to  the  enemy.  The  slain  on  the  side  of  the 
parliament,  however,  exceeded  those  of  the  king: 
out  Fairfax  made  five  hundred  officers  prisoners,  and 
four  thousand  private  men,  and  took  all  the  king's  ar- 
tillery and  ammunition. 

The  affairs  of  the  royalists  now  declined  in  all 
\cac-\  quarters.  Charles  escaped  to  Oxford,  where 
° he  shut  himself  up  with  the  broken  remains  of 
his  army.  The  prince  of  Wales  retired  to  France, 
where  he  joined  the  queen  ; the  west  submitted  to 
the  arms  of  Fairfax  and  Cromwell;  and  the  defeat  of 
Montrose  at  Philip-haugh,  after  a series  of  splendid 
actions,  seemed  to  seal  the  final  destiny  of  the  king’s 
party. 

The  only  resource  which  remained  to  Charles  was 
derived  from  the  intestine  dissentions  of  his  enemies. 
The  jaresbyterians  and  independents  fell  into  contests 
concerning  the  division  of  the  spoil  ; and  their  reli- 
gious and  civil  disputes  agitated  the  whole  nation. 
In  the  mean  time,  Fairfax,  with  a victorious  army,  ap- 
proached to  lay  siege  to  Oxford,  which  must  infalli- 
bly surrender.  In  this  desperate  extremity,  the  king 
embraced  a measure,  which  had  been  suggested  by 
Montreville,  the  French  ambassador,  of  seeking  the 
protection  of  the  Scottish  army,  which  at  that  -ime 
lay  before  Newark. 

The  Scottish  generals  and  commissioners  affected 
great  surprise  on  the  appearance  of  the  king  ; and  the 
parliament,  hearing  of  his  escape  from  Oxford. .threat- 
ened instant  death  to  whosoever  should  harbour  or 
conceal  him.  The  Scots,  therefore,  in  order  to  justi- 
fy themselves,  assured  the  parliament,  that  they  had 
entered  into  private  understanding  with  his  majesty 
After  keeping  the  king  a prisoner  for  some  time,  to 
the  eternal  disgrace  of  the  agents  in  this  shameful 
business,  they  agreed  to  surrender  him  to  the  parlia- 
ment, for  £400,000  pounds,  half  of  which  was  to  be 
paid  instantly;  and  thus  the  Scottish  nation  have  been 
stained  with  the  infamy  of  selling  their  king,  and  be- 
traying their  prince  for  money. 

When  intelligence  of  the  final  resolution  of  the 
Scots  to  sui  *ender  him  was  brought  to  Charles,  l.e 


CHARLES  i. 


53 

*vas  playing  at  chess  ; and  so  little  was  he  affected  ay 
the  news,  that  he  continued  his  game  without  inter 
ruption,  or  any  appearance  of  discomposure.  The 
king,  being  delivered  by  the  Scots  to  the  English 
commissioners,  was  conducted  to  Holdenby,  in  the 
county  of  Northampton,  where  his  ancient  servants 
were  dismissed,  and  all  communication  with  his  friends 
or  family  was  prohibited. 

About  this  time  died  the  earl  of  Essex,  who,  sensi- 
ble of  the  excesses  to  which  affairs  had  been  carried, 
had  resolved  to  conciliate  a peace,  and  to  remedy,  as 
far  as  possible,  all  those  ills  to  which,  from  mistake 
rather  than  any  bad  intentions,  he  had  himself  so 
much  contributed.  His  death,  therefore,  at  this  con- 
juncture, was  a public  misfortune. 

The  dominion  of  the  parliament,  howdVer,  was  of 
short  duration.  The  presbyterians  retained  the  supe 
riority  among  the  commons,  but  the  independents  pre 
dominated  in  the  army.  Some  evident  symptoms  of  dis- 
affection having  appeared  among  the  soldiers,  the  par- 
liament sent  Cromwell,  Ireton,  and  Fleetwood,  to  the 
army,  to  inquire  into  the  cause  of  the  disorders. 
These  men  were  the  secret  authors  of  the  discontents, 
which,  while  they  pretended  to  appease  them,  they 
failed  not  to  foment. 

In  opposition  to  the  parliament  at  Wetsminster, 
a military  parliament  was  formed,  together  with  a 
council  of  the  principal  officers,  on  the  model  of  the 
house  of  peers  3 and  representatives  of  the  army  were 
composed,  by  the  election  of  two  private  men  ^r  infe- 
rior officers,  under  the  title  of  agitators,  from  each 
troop  or  company.  This  court  declared  that  they 
found  only  grievances  in  the  army,  and  voted  the  con- 
duct of  parliament  unsatisfactory  3 and,  foreseeing 
the  result  of  matters,  they  took  care  to  strike  a blow, 
which  at  once  decided  the  victory  in  their  favour. 

A party  of  five  hundred  horse  appeared  at  Holden- 
by, under  the  command  of  cornet  Joice,  who  had 
once  been  a tailor,  but  was  now  an  active  agitator  in 
the  army.  Joice  came  into  the  king’s  presence,  arm- 
ed with  pistols,  and  told  him  he  must  immediately  go 
along  with  him.  u Whither  V:  said  h;s  majesty.  il  T<| 
the  army,”  replied  Joice.  tl  By  what  warrant  ?”  ask 
ed  the  king.  Joice  pointed  to  the  soldiers,  who  were 


64  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND 

tall,  handsome,  and  well  accoutred.  u Your  warrant,’ 
said  Charles,  smiling,  “ is  writ  in  fair  characters,  le- 
gible, without  spelling.”  Resistance  was  of  course 
vain;  and  the  king,  stepping  into  his  coach,  was  safe- 
ly conducted  to  the  army,  which  was  hastening  to  its 
rendezvous  at  Triplo-heath,  near  Cambridge. 

Fairfax  himself  was  ignorant  of  this  manoeuvre  ; 
and  it  was  not  till  the  arrival  of  Cromwell,  who  had 
deceived  the  parliament  by  his  profound  dissimulation 
and  consummate  hypocrisy,  that  the  intrigue  was  de- 
veloped. On  his  arrival  in  the  camp,  he  was  received 
with  loud  acclamations,  and  was  instantly  invested 
with  the  supreme  command. 

The  parliament,  though  at  present  defenceless,  pos- 
sessed many  resources;  and,  therefore,  Cromwell  ad- 
vanced upon  ttiern  with  the  army,  and  arrived  in  a 
few  days  at  St.  Alban’s.  The  parliament,  conscious 
of  their  want  of  popularity,  were  reduced  to  despair  ; 
and  the  army,  hoping  by  terror  alone  to  effect  all  their 
purposes,  halted  at  St.  Alban’s,  and  entered  into  ne- 
gotiation with  their  masters. 

The  army,  in  their  usurpations  on  the  parliament, 
copied  exactly  the  model  which  the  parliament  itself 
had  set  them,  in  their  recent  usurpations  on  the 
crown.  Everyday  they  rose  in  their  demands;  and 
one  concession  only  paved  the  way  to  another  still 
more  exorbitant.  At  last,  there  being  no  signs  of  re- 
sistance, in  order  to  save  appearances,  they  removed 
at  the  desire  of  the  parliament,  to  a greater  dis- 
tance*from  London,  and  fixed  their  head-quarters  at 
Reading, 

Charles  was  carried  with  them  in  all  their  marches, 
and  found  himself  much  more  comfortable  than  at 
Holdenby^  All  his  friends  had  access  to  him  ; and 
his  chilurem  were  once  allowed  to  visit  him,  and  they 
passed  a few  days  at  Caversham,  where  he  resided. 
Cromwell,  as  well  as  the  leaders  of  ail  factions,  paid 
court  to  him  ; and  so  confident  was  the  king,  that  all 
parties  would  at  length  have  recourse  to  his  lawful 
authority,  that  on  several  occasions  he  observed, 
lt  You  cannot  be  without  me  ; you  cannot  settle  the 
nation,  but  by  my  assistance.” 

Charles,  however,  though  he  wished  to  hold  the 
balance  between  the  opposite  parties  entertained 


CHARLES  I.  51 

more^hopes  jf  accommodation  with  the  army,  and 
made  the  most  splendid  offers  to  lreton  ind  Crom- 
well. The  latter  pretended  to  listen  to  his  proposals  j 
but  it  is  probable,  that  he  had  conceived  .the  design 
of  seizing  the  sceptre.  While  Cromwell,  however, 
allured  the  king  with  the  hopes  of  an  accommodation, 
he  systematically  pursued  his  plan  of  humbling  the 
parliament.  A petition  against  some  laws  was  pre- 
sented at  Westminster,  by  the  apprentices  and  sedi- 
tious multitude  ; and  the  house  was  obliged  to  reverse 
its  votes.  Intelligence  of  this  tumult  being  conveyed 
to  Reading,  the  army,  under  pretence  of  restoring  lib- 
er y to  that  assembly,  marched  to  Hounslow,  where 
the  speakers  of  the  two  houses,  Manchester  and  Len- 
tnal,  having  secretly  retired  by  collusion,  presented 
themselves  with  their  maces,  and  all  the  ensigns  of 
their  dignity,  and  complained  of  the  violence  put 
upon  them.  The  two  speakers  were  received  with 
acclamations,  and  conducted  by  a military  force  to 
Westminster  5 and  every  act  which  had  passed  in 
their  absence  was  annulled,  and  the  parliament  reduc- 
ed to  a regularly  formed  servitude. 

The  leaders  of  the  army,  having  now  established 
their  dominion  over  the  city  and  parliament,  ventured 
to  bring  the  king  to  Hampton  Court  j but  intelli- 
gencebeing daily  brought  him  of  menaces  thrown  out 
by  the  agitators,  and  his  guards  being  doubled  with  the 
view  of  rendering  him  uneasy  in  his  present  situation, 
Charles  adopted  the  sudden  and  impolitic  resolution 
of  withdrawing  himself;  and  attended  only  by  sir  John  j 
Berkley,  Ashburnham,  and  Legge,  he  privately  left 
Hampton  Court,  and  arrived  next  day  at  Tichfield. 
Sensible,  however,  that  he  could  not  long  remain  con- 
cealed there,  he  imprudently  put  himself  into  the 
hands  of  Hammond,  governor  of  the  Isle  of  Wight,  a 
man  entirely  dependant  on  Cromwell,  by  whom  he  was 
carried  to  Carisbrooke  castle,  and  confined  a prisoner, 
though  treated  with  the  externals  of  duty  and  respect. 

Cromwell,  now  freed  from  all  anxiety  in  regard  to 
the  custody  of  the  king’s  person,  and  being  superior 
to  the  parliament,  applied  himself  seriously  to  quell 
those  disorders  in  the  army,  which  he  himself  had 
raised.  He  issued  orders  for  discontinuing  the  meet- 
ings of  the  agitators  j but  these  levellers , as  they  were 


i 

i 


56 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


called,  joined  in  seditious  remonstrances  and  pcti 
tions  ; and  Cromwell,  at  the  time  of  a review,  seizing 
the  ringleaders  before  their  companions,  caused  one 
mutineer  instantly  to  be  shot,  and  struck  such  terror 
into  the  rest,  that  they  quietly  returned  to  discipline 
and  duty. 

Cromwell  paid  great  deference  to  the  counsels  of 
Ireton,  a man  who  had  grafted  the  soldier  on  the  law- 
yer, and  the  statesman  on  the  saint„;  and  by  his  sug- 
gestion, he  secretly  called  a council  of  the  chief  offi- 
cers at  Windsor,  w^here  was  first  opened  the  daring 
design  of  bringing  the  king  to  condign  punishment  for 
maladministration.  This  measure  being  resolved  on, 
it  was  requisite  gradually  to  conduct  the  parliament 
from  one  violence  to  another,  till  this  last  act  of  atro- 
cious iniquity  should  appear  inevitable.  At  the  insti- 
gation of  the  independents  and  army,  that  assembly 
framed  four  proposals,  to  which  they  demanded  the 
king's  positive  assent,  before  they  would  deign  to  treat. 
The  first  was,  that  he  should  invest  the  parliament 
with  the  military  power  for  twenty  years  : the  second, 
that  he  should  recall  all  his  proclamations  and  declar 
ations  against  the  parliament,  and  acknowledge  thal 
assembly  to  have  taken  arms  in  their  just  and  necessa-  * 
ry  defence  ; the  third,  that  he  should  annul  all  the 
acts,  and  void  all  the  patents  of  peerage,  which  had 
passed  the  great  seal,  since  the  commencement  of  the 
civil  wars  ; and  the  fourth,  that  he  should  give  the 
two  houses  power  to  adjourn  as  they  thought  proper. 

Charles,  though  a prisoner,  regarded  these  preten- 
sions as  exorbitant,  and  desired  that  all  the  terms  on 
both  sides  should  be  adjusted,  before  any  concession 
16481  on  either  was  insisted  on.  The  republicans 
J pretended  to  take  fire  at  this  reply;  and  Crom- 
well, after  expatiating  on  the  valour  and  godliness  of 
the  army,  added,  “ Teach  them  not  by  neglecting  your 
own  safety  and  that  of  the  kingdom,  in  which  their's 
too  is  involved,  to  imagine  themselves  betrayed,  and 
their  interests  abandoned  to  the  rage  and  malice  of 
an  irreconcilable  enemy,  whom,  for  your  sake,  they 
have  dared  to  provoke.  Beware,  (and  at  these  words 
he  laid  his  hand  on  his  sword,)  beware  lest  despair 
cause  them  to  seek  safety  by  some  other  means  than 
by  adhering  to  you,  who  knew  not  how  to  consult  youi 
own  safety. ” 


CHARLES  I. 


57 


Ninety-one  members,  however,  had  still  the  cour 
age  to  oppose  this  menace  of  Cromwell  ; but  the  ma- 
jority decided,  that  no  more  addresses  were  to  be 
made  to  the  king,  nor  any  letters  or  messages  receiv 
ed  from  him,  and  that  it  should  be  treason  for  any  one 
to  have  intercourse  with  him,  without  a permission 
from  parliament.  By  this  vote  the  king  was  actually 
dethroned  ; and  this  violent  measure  was  supported 
by  a declaration  of  the  commons  equally  violent,  in 
which  the  character  of  Charles  was  aspersed  with  the 
foulest  calumnies. 

Scotland,  whence  the  king’s  cause  had  received  the 
first  fatal  disaster,  seemed  now  to  promise  its  support 
and  assistance.  Alarmed  at  the  subjection  of  parlia- 
ment to  the  army,  and  the  confinement  of  Charles,  the 
Scots  had  resolved  to  arm  forty  thousand  men,  in  sup- 
port of  their  native  prince,  and  secretly  entered  into 
correspondence  with  the  English  royalists,  sir  Marma- 
duke  Langdale  and  sir  Philip  Musgrave,  who  had  lev- 
ied considerable  forces  in  the  north  of  England.  Va- 
rious combinations  and  conspiracies  for  the  same  pur- 

f»ose  were  every  where  forming;  and  seventeen  ships 
ying-at  the  mouth  of  the  river  declared  for  the  king; 
and  setting  their  admiral  ashore,  sailed  over  to  Hol- 
land, where  the  prince  of  Wales  took  the  command 
of  them. 

Cromwell  and  his  military  council,  however,  pre- 
pared themselvep  with  vigour  and  conduct  for  de- 
fence; and  while  the  forces  were  employed  in  all 
quarters,  parliament  having  regained  some  share  of 
liberty,  repealed  the  vote  for  non-addressing,  and  five 
peers  and  ten  commoners  were  sent  to  Newport  in 
the  Isle  of  Wight,  as  commissioners  to  treat  with 
Charles. 

From  the  time  that  the  king  had  been  a prisoner  in 
Carisbrooke  castle,  he  had  totally  neglected  his  per- 
son, and  had  suffered  his  beard  to  grow  long.  His 
hair  had  become  almost  entirely  gray,  either  from  the 
decline  of  years,  or  the  load  of  sorrow  with  which  he 
was  oppressed.  The  vigour  of  his  mind,  however,  was 
still  unbroken  ; and  alone,  and  unsupported,  for  two 
months,  he  maintained  an  argument  against  fifteen 
men  of  the  greatest  parts  and  capacity,  without  ar.^ 
advai  tage  being  obtained  over  him.  Of  a.1  the  de 


53 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


mands  of  the  parliament,  Charles  refused  only  tw  o 
he  would  neither  give  up  his  friends  to  punishment, 
nor  abolish  episcopacy,  though  he  was  willing  to  tem- 
per it. 

In  the  mean  time,  Cromwell,  with  eight  thousand 
men,  attacked  and  defeated  the  numerous  armies  of 
twenty  thousand,  commanded  by  Hamilton  and  Lang- 
dale,  and  took  the  former  prisoner.  Following  up  his 
advantage,  he  marched  into  Scotland,  where  he  exer- 
cised the  most  tyrannical  power,  and  in  conjunction 
with  those  of  his  own  party,  placed  all  authority  in 
the  hands  of  the  most  violent  anti-royalists.  Colches- 
ter, after  holding  out  for  the  king  to  the  last  extremi- 
ty, under  sir  Charles  Lucas  and  sir  George  Lisle, 
was  obliged  to  surrender  5 and  Fairfax,  instigated 
by  the  inhuman  Ireton,  caused  those  officers  to  be 
shot. 

These  successes  of  the  army  had  subdued  all  their 
enemies,  except  the  helpless  king  and  parliament; 
and  the  council  of  general  officers,  at  the  suggestion 
of  Cromwell,  now  demanded  the  dissolution  of  that 
assembly,  and  a more  equal  representation  in  future. 
At  the  same  time  they  advanced  the  troops  to  Wind 
sor,  and  ordered  the  king  to  be  removed  to  Hurst  cas- 
tle in  Hampshire,  where  he  was  kept  in  close  con- 
finement. 

The  parliament,  however,  did  not  lose  their  cour- 
age, but  set  aside  the  remonstrances  of  the  army,  and 
issued  orders  that  it  should  not  advance  nearer  to  Lon- 
don. The  parliament,  however,  had  to  deal  with  men 
W'ho  would  not  be  intimidated  by  words,  nor  retarded 
by  any  scrupulous  delicacy.  The  generals  marched 
the  army  to  London,  and  surrounded  the  parliament 
with  their  hostile  preparations.  In  this  situation,  the 
parliament  had  the  resolution  to  attempt  to  close  their 
treaty  with  the  king;  and  after  a violent  debate  of 
three  days,  it  was  carried  by  a majority  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-nine,  against  eighty-three,  in  the 
house  of  commons,  that  the  king’s  concessions  were 
a foundation  for  the  houses  to  proceed  upon  in  the 
settlement  of  the  kingdom. 

Next  day,  however,  when  the  commons  were  about 
to  !>ioet.  colonel  Pride,  formerly  a drayman,  having 
su;  rounded  the- house  with  two  regiments,  forty-ouj 


CHARLES  I.  - 53 

members  of  the  presbyterian  party  were  seized,  and 
above  one  hundred  and  sixty  more  were  excluded.  In 
short,  none  but  the  most  determined  independents 
were  allowed  to  enter,  and  these  did  not  exceed  the 
number  of  fifty  or  sixty.  This  invasion  of  the  parlia- 
ment commonly  passed  under  the  name  of  colonel 
Pride’s  purge.  The  independents  instantly  reversed 
the  former  vote,  and  declared  the  king’s  concessions 
unsatisfactory ; they  renewed  the  former  vote  of  non- 
addresses j and  committed  some  of  the  leading  pres- 
byterian  members  to  prison. 

The  council  of  officers  now  took  into  consideration 
a scheme,  called  “ the  agreement  of  the  people,” 
which  laid  the  basis  of  a republic  ; and,  that  they 
might  complete  their  iniquity  and  fanatical  extrava- 
gance, they  urged  on  this  shadow  of  a parliament  to 
bring  in  a specific  charge  against  their  sovereign.  Ac- 
cordingly, a vote  was  passed,  declaring  it  treason  in  a 
king  to  levy  war  against  his  parliament,  and  appointing 
a high  court  of  justice  to  try  Charles  for  this  new-in- 
vented treason  This  vote  was  sent  up  to  the  house 
of  peers;  and  that  assembly,  which  was  in  general 
very  thinly  attended,  was  on  that  day  fuller  than  usual, 
and  consisted  ot  sixteen  members  ; but  without  one 
dissenting  voice,  they  instantly  rejected  the  vote  of 
the  lower  house,  and  adjourned  for  ten  days,  in  hopes, 
by  this  delay,  to  ietard  the  furious  career  of  the  com- 
mons. 

That  body,  however,  having  assumed  as  a principle 
which  is  true  in  theory,  though  false  in  practice,  u that 
the  people  are  the  origin  of  all  just  power,”  they  de- 
clared that  the  commons  represented  the  people,  and 
that  their  enactments  have  the  force  of  laws,  without 
the  consent  of  king  or  house  of  peers.  The  ordi- 
nance for  the.  trial  of  Charles  Stuart  was  then  again 
read,  and  unanimously  agreed  to. 

Colonel  Harrison,  the  son  of  a butcher,  and  the 
most  furious  enthusiast  of  the  army,  was  despatched 
with  a strong  party  to  conduct  the  king  to  London  ; 
and  it  appears,  that,  at  this  time,  his  majesty  expected 
assassination,  and  could  not  believe  that  they  really 
intended  to  conclude  their  acts  of  violence  by  a pub- 
lic trial  and  execution. 

All  things,  however,  being  adjusted,  the  high  c.our! 


60  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

of  justice  was  fully  constituted.  It  consisted  of  one 
hundred  and  thirty-three  persons  named  by  the  com- 
mons; but  scarcely  more  than  seventy  ever  sat ; so 
difficult  was  it  to  engage  men  of  any  name  or  charac- 
ter in  that  atrocious  measure.  Cromwell,  Ireton,  Har- 
rison, and  the  chief  officers  of  the  army,  most  of  them 
of  low  birth,  were  members,  together  with  some  of 
the  lower  house,  and  a few  citizens  of  London.  The 
twelve  judges  were  at  first  appointed  in  the  number  3 
but  as  they  had  affirmed  that  the  proceeding  was 
illegal,  their  names  were  struck  out.  Bradshaw,  a 
lawyer,  was  chosen  president,  and  Coke  was  appointed 
solicitor  to  the  people  of  England. 

The  court  sat  in  Westminster-hall  j and  the  king 
being  arraigned  for  levying  war  against  the  parliament, 
was  impeached  as  a tyrant,  traitor,  and  murderer. 
Though  long  detained  a prisoner,  and  now  produced 
as  a criminal,  Charles  sustained  the  dignity  of  a mon- 
arch, and  with  great  temper  and  force,  declined  the 
authority  of  the  court.  Three  times  was  he  brought 
before  his  judges,  and  as  often  declined  their  juris 
diction.  On  the  fourth,  the  court  having  examined 
some  witnesses,  by  whom  it  was  proved  that  the  king 
had  appeared  in  arms  against  the  forces  commissioned 
by  the  parliament,  they  pronounced  sentence  against 
him. 

In  this  last  scene,  Charles  forgot  not  his  character, 
either  as  a man  or  a prince.  Firm  and  intrepid,  he 
maintained,  in  each  reply,  the  utmost  perspicuity  in 
thought  and  expression  3 mild  and  equable,  he  rose 
into  no  passion  at  the  unusual  authority  assumed  over 
him.  His  soul,  wi*hout  effort  or  affectation,  seemed 
only  to  remain  in  the  situation  familiar,  to  it,  and  to 
look  down  with  contempt  on  all  the  efforts  of  human 
malice.  The  soldiers  were  brought,  though  with  diffi- 
culty, to  cry  aloud  for  justice  : u Poor  souls,”  said  the 
king,  u for  a little  money  they  would  do  as  much 
against  their  commanders. ” 

Three  days  only  were  allowed  the  king  between  his 
sentence  and  execution  3 and  this  interval  was  passed 
in  reading  and  devotion,  and  in  conversing  with  the 
princess  Elizabeth  and  the  duke  of  Gloucester,  who 
alone  of  his  family  remained  in  England. 

The  morning  of  the  fatal  dav,  which  was  the  30tfr 


CHARLES  1. 


61 


of  January,  1649,  Charles  rose  early,  and  calling  Her 
bert,  one  of  his  attendants,  bade  him  employ  more 
than  usual  care  in  dressing  him,  and  preparing  him  for 
such  a great  and  joyful  solemnity.  Juxon,  bishop  of 
London,  a man  endowed  with  the  same  mild  and 
steady  virtues  as  his  master,  assisted  him  in  his  devo- 
tions, and  paid  the  last  melancholy  duties  to  his  sove- 
reign. As  he  was  preparing  himself  for  the  block, 
Juxon  said,  u There  is,  sir,  but  one  stage  more,  which, 
though  turbulent,  is  yet  a very  short  one.  Consider, 
it  will  soon  carry  you  a great  way  : it  will  carry  you 
from  earth  to  heaven  ; ana  there  you  shall  find,  to 
your  great  joy,  the  prize  to  which  you  hasten,  a crown 
of  glory.1 ” “ I go,”  replied  the  king,  “ from  a corrup- 

tible to  an  incorruptible  crown,  where  no  disturbance 
can  have  place.”  At  one  blow  his  head  was  severed 
from  his  body  by  a man  in  a visor;  and  another,  in  a 
similar  disguise,  held  up  to  the  spectators  the  head 
streaming  with  blood,  and  cried  aloud,  “ This  is  the 
head  of  a traitor  !” 

It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  grief,  indignation, 
and  astonishment,  which  took  place  throughout  the 
nation,  on  this  melancholy  occasion.  Each  reproach- 
ed himself  either  with  r •'tive  disloyalty,  or  with  a too 
indolent  defence  of  the  royal  cause.  The  generous 
Fairfax,  it  appears,  had  designed  to  rescue  the  king 
from  the  scaffold,  with  his  own  regiment;  but  this 
intention  being  known,  he  was  artfully  engaged  by 
Cromwell  in  prayer  with  Harrison,  till  the  fatal  blow 
was  struck. 

The  moment  before  his  execution,  Charles  had 
said  to  Juxon,  in  an  earnest  and  impressive  manner, 
Remember  and  the  generals  insisted  with  the  prelate, 
that  he  should  inform  them  of  the  king’s  meaning. 
Juxon  told  them,  that  the  king  had  charged  him  to  in- 
culcate on  his  son  the  forgiveness  of  his  murderers;  a 
sentiment  wrhich  in  his  last  speech  he  had  before  de- 
clared. As  a king,  Charles  was  not  free  from  faults  ; 
but  as  a man,  few  had  ever  filled  the  throne,  who  were 
entitled  to  more  unqualified  praise. 

A few  days  after  the  consummation  of  this  tragedy, 
the  commons  passed  a vote,  abolishing  the  house  of 
peers  as  dangerous  and  useless,  and  a like  vote  was 
passed  in  regard  to  the  monarchy.  It  was  declared 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


62 

high-treason  to  proclaim  or  otherwise  acknowledge 
Cnarles  Stuart,  commonly  called  the  prince  of  Wales  ; 
and  the  commons  ordered  a new  great  seal  to  be  en 
graved,  on  which  that  assembly  was  represented,  with 
a legend,  11  On  the  first  year  of  freedom,  by  God’s 
blessing  restored,  1648.” 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  Commonwealth. 

On  the  death  of  Charles,  every  person  had  framed 
Ihe  model  of  a republic,  which,  how  new  or  absurd 
soever,  he  wished  to  impose  on  his  fellow  citizens. 
164,01  The  ^eve^ers  insisted  on  an  equal  distribution 
J L of  power  and  property;  the  millenarians,  or 
fifth  monarchy  men,  required  that  government  itself 
should  be  abolished,  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  do 
minion  of  Christ,  whose  second  coming  they  sudden 
ly  expected;  while  the  antinomians  asserted,  that  the 
obligations  of  morality  and  natural  law  were  supersed- 
ed, and  that  the  elect  were  guided  by  an  internal  prin- 
ciple more  perfect  and  divine. 

The  royalists  were  inflamed  with  the  highest  resent- 
ment against  their  ignoble  adversaries  ; the  presbyte- 
rians  were  enraged  to  find  that  the  fruits  of  their  la- 
bours were  ravished  from  them,  by  the  treachery  or 
superior  cunning  of  their  associates;  and  the  army, 
the  only  support  of  the  independent  republican  fac 
tion,  was  actuated  by  a religious  frenzy,  which  ren- 
dered it  dangerous  even  to  its  friends. 

The  only  poise  against  these  irregularities  of  action, 
was  the  great  influence  of  Oliver  Cromwell.  lilting 
monarchy,  while  a subject;  despising  liberty,  while  a 
citizen  ; he  was  secretly  paving  the  way,  by  artifice 
and  courage,  to  his  own  unlimited  authority. 

The  parliament  now  named  a council  of  state,  con- 
sisting of  thirty-eight  members,  to  whom  all  address 
es  we**3  made,  and  who  digested  all  business  before 
it  was  introduced  into  the  house.  Foreign  powers, 
occupied  in  wars  among  themselves,  had  no  leisure 
or  inclination  to  interpose  in  the  domestic  dissen- 


THE  COMMONWEALTH. 


t>3 


tions  of  tnis  island  ; and  the  young  king,  poor  and  neg- 
lected, comforted  himself  amidst  his  present  distress- 
es only  with  the  hopes  of  better  fortune.  The  situa- 
tion of  Scotland  and  Ireland  alone  gave  any  inquie- 
tude to  the  new  republic. 

Argyle  and  his  partisans  had  proclaimed  Charles  IT. 
in  Scotland  ; but  on  contrition  “ of  his  good  behaviour 
and  strict  observance  of  the  covenant in  Ireland, 
the  duke  of  Ormond  having  contrived  to  assemble  an 
army  of  sixteen  thousand  men,  recovered  several  pla- 
ces from  the  parliament,  and  threatened  Dublin  with 
a siege  ; and  the  young  king  entertained  thoughts  of 
visiting  that  kingdom. 

Cromwell  aspired  to  a situation  where  so  much  glo- 
ry might  be  won,  and  so  much  authority  acquired ; 
and,  by  his  usual  cunning,  he  procured  from  the  coun- 
cil of  state  the  appointment  of  commander  in  chief  in 
that  island.  Many  disorders,  however,  in  England, 
and  particularly  in  the  army,  were  necessary  to  be 
composed,  before  he  set  out;  but  with  his  usual  felic- 
ity he  settled  affairs  sufficiently  to  allow  him  to  un- 
dertake the  expedition. 

On  his  arrival  at  Dublin,  he  attacked  and  defeated 
the  army  of  Ormond,  whose  military  character  in  this 
action  received  some  stain.  He  then  hastened  to  Tre- 
dah,  which  was  well  fortified,  and  garrisoned  with 
three  thousand  men  5 and  having  made  a breach,  he 
ordered  a general  assault.  The  town  was  taken  sword 
in  hand  ; and  orders  being  issued  to  give  no  quarter,  u 
cruel  slaughter  was  made  of  the  garrison.  One  person 
alone  escaped,  to  be  the  messenger,  of  this  universal 
havoc  and  destruction. 

Cromwell  pretended  to  retaliate,  by  this  severe  ex- 
ecution, the  cruelty  of  the  Irish  massacre  ; and  though 
he  well  knew  that  nearly  the  whole  garrison  were 
English,  his  barbarous  policy  had  certainly  the  desired 
effect.  Every  town  before  which  he  presented  him- 
self, now  opened  its  gates  without  offering  any  resist- 
ance ; and  the  English  had  no  other  difficulties  to  en- 
counter, than  what  arose  from  fatigue  and  the  advanc- 
ed season.  Fluxes  and  contagious  distempers  destroy- 
ed great  numbers  of  them  ; but  the  English  garrisons 
of  Cork,  Kinsale,  and  other  important  places,  deserted 
to  him. 


i 

; 


f 


54  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

This  desertion  of  the  English  put  an  end  to  Or- 
mond’s authority  ; and  leaving  the  island,  he  delegated 
his  power  to  Clanricarde,  who  found  affairs  too  despe- 
rate to  admit  any  remedy.  Above  forty  thousand  Irish 
passed  into  foreign  service  ; and  in  the  space  of  nine 
months,  Cromwell  had  almost  entirely  subdued  Ireland. 

In  the  mean  time,  Charles  being  informed  that  he 
,grQ1  had  been  proclaimed  king  by  the  Scottish  par- 
-*  liament,  was  at  length  persuaded,  though  reluc- 
tantly, to  submit  to  the  severe  conditions  annexed  ig 
his  receival  of  the  crown.  To  comply  with  these,  he 
was  chiefly  induced  by  the  account  brought  him  of 
the  fate  of  Montrose,  who,  with  all  the  circumstan- 
ces of  rage  and  contumely,  had  been  put  to  death  by 
his  zealous  countrymen.  The  sentence  pronounced 
against  Montrose,  was,  that,  after  being  hanged,  his 
head  should  be  cut  off,  and  affixed  to  the  prison,  and 
that  his  legs  and  arms  should  be  stuck  up  on  the  four 
chief  towns  in  the  kingdom.  He  told  the  clergy,  who 
insulted  over  his  fallen  fortunes,  that  they  were  a mis- 
erably deluded  and  deluding  people.  “ For  my  part, 
added  he,  “ I am  much  prouder  to  have  my  head  ai 
fixed  to  the  place  where  it  is  sentenced  to  stand,  thai 
to  have  my  picture  hung  in  the  king’s  bed-chamber 
So  far  from  being  sorry,  that  my  quarters  are  to  be 
sent  to  four  cities  of  the  kingdom,  I wish  that  I had 
limbs  enow  to  be  dispersed  into  all  the  cities  of  Chris- 
tendom, there  to  remain  as  testimonies  in  favour  of 
the  cause  for  which  I suffer.”  This  sentiment,  the 
same  evening,  he  threw  into  verse ; and  the  poem 
still  remains,  a monument  of  his  heroic  spirit,  and  no 
despicable  proof  of  his  poetic  genius.  With  the  same 
constancy  he  endured  the  last  act  of  the  executioner, 
and  thus  perished,  in  the  thirty -eighth  year  of  his  age, 
the  gallant  marquis  of  Montrose. 

Charles,  in  consequence  of  his  agreement  to  take 
the  covenant,  and  to  submit  to  other  hard  conditions, 
landed  in  Scotland;  but  soon  found  himself  consider- 
ed *as  a mere  pageant  of  state,  and  that  the  few  re- 
mains of  royalty  which  he  possessed,  served  only  to 
draw  on  him  *the  greater  indignities.  As  his  facility 
in  yielding  to  every  demand  gave  some  reason  to 
doubt  his  sincerity,  it  was  proposed  that  he  should 
pass  through  a public  humiliation,  instead  of  being 
crowned  as  he  expected. 


THE  COMMONWEALTH. 


65 


The  advance  of  the  English  army  under  Cromwell, 
could  not  appease  nor  soften  the  animosities  among 
the  parties  in  Scotland.  As  soon  as  the  English  par- 
liament found  that  the  treaty  between  Charles  and 
the  Scots  was  likely  to  lead  to  an  accommodation, 
they  prepared  for  war.  The  command  in  Ireland  was 
left  to  Ireton  ; and  Cromwell  being  declared  captain- 
general  of  all  the  forces  in  England,  entered  Scotland 
with  an  army  of  sixteen  thousand  men. 

The  command  of  the  Scottish  army  was  given  to 
Leslie,  who  entrenched  himself  between  Edinburgh 
and  Leith,  and  avoided  a battle,  which  Cromwell  tried 
every  expedient  to  bring  on.  The  latter  was  at  length 
reduced  to  such  extremities,  that  he  had  even  embrac- 
ed the  resolution  of  sending  all  his  foot  and  artillery 
to  England  by  sea,  and  of  breaking  through,  at  all  haz- 
ards, with  his  cavalry  5 but  the  madness  of  the  Scot- 
tish ecclesiastics  preserved  him  from  this  dishonour. 

These  enthusiasts  had  not  only  enjoined  Charles  to 
withdraw  from  the  army,  but  they  had  purged  it  of  four 
thousand  malignants,  as  they  were  called,  though  reck- 
oned the  best  soldiers  in  the  nation  ; and  on  the  faith 
of  visions,  forced  their  general,  in  spite  of  his  remon- 
strances, lo  descend  from  an  advantageous  station  upon 
the  heights  of  Lamermure,  near  Dunbar,  with  a view  of 
attacking  the  English  in  their  retreat.  Cromwell,  see- 
ing the  enemy’s  camp  in  motion,  foretold  without  the 
help  of  revelations,  u that  the  Lord  had  delivered 
them  into  his  hands.”  He  gave  orders  for  an  imme- 
diate attack  ; and  such  was  the  effect  of  discipline, 
that  the  Scots,  though  double  in  number,  were  soon 
put  to  flight,  and  pursued  with  great  slaughter. 
About  three  thousand  were  slain,  and  nine  thou- 
sand taken  prisoners;  and  Cromwell  following  up  his 
advantage,  took  possession  of  Edinburgh  and  Leith. 
The  remnant  of  the  Scottish  army  fled  to  Stirling. 
The  defeat  of  the  Scots  was  regarded  by  Charles  as  a 
fortunate  event,  as  the  vanquished  were  now  obliged 
to  allow  him  more  authority.  Still,  however,  the  pro- 
testers kept  aloof  from  the  malignants.  * 

Charles  encamped  at  Torwood,  with  the  town  of 
16511  Stirling  behind  him,  and  cautiously  adhered  to 
* defensive  measures;  but  Cromwell,  passing 
oyer  the  frith  into  Fife,  posted  himself  in  his  rear. 
roL.  ii  5 


66 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND 


and  rendered  it  impossible  for  the  king  to  keep  his 
station.  Charles,  reduced  to  despair,  embraced  a res 
olulion  worthy  of  a young  prince  contending  for  em- 
pire. The  road  to  England  being  open,  where  he  hop- 
ed to  be  joined  by  numerous  friends,  he  persuaded  the 
generals  to  march  thither 5 and  with  one  consent  the 
army,  to  the  number  of  fourteen  thousand  men,  rose 
from  their  camp,  and  advanced  by  rapid  marches  to- 
wards the  south. 

Cromwell,  leaving  Monk  with  seven  thousand  men 
to  complete  the  reduction  of  Scotland,  followed  the 
king  with  all  possible  expedition.  Charles  found  him- 
self disappointed  in  his  expectations  of  increasing  his 
army  : the  Scots  fell  off  in  great  numbers  ; the  Eng- 
lish presbyterians  and  the  royalists  were  unprepared 
to  join  him  3 and  when  he  arrived  at  Worcester,  his 
forces  were  not  more  numerous  than  when  he  rose 
from  his  camp  at  Torwood. 

Such  is  the  influence  of  established  government, 
that  the  commonwealth,  though  very  unpopular,  had 
sufficient  influence  to  raise  the  militia  of  the  coun- 
ties 3 and  these,  united  with  the  regular  forces,  ena 
bled  Cromwell  to  fall  upon  the  king  at  Worcester 
with  an  army  of  thirty  thousand  men.  The  streets  of 
that  city  were  strewed  with  the  dead.  Hamilton,  a 
nobleman  of  bravery  and  honour,  was  mortally  wound 
ed5  Massey  was  wounded  and  taken  prisoner  j and 
the  king  himself,  having  given  many  proofs  of  per 
sonal  valour,  was  obliged  to  fly.  The  whole  Scottish 
army  was  either  killed  or  taken  prisoners. 

By  the  earl  of  Derby's  directions,  Charles  went  to 
Boscobel,  a lone  house  on  the  borders  of  Staffordshire,* 
inhabited  by  one  Penderell,  a farmer,  who,  with  his 
four  brothers,  served  him  with  unshaken  fidelity. 
Having  clothed  the  king  in  a garb  like  their  own,  they 
led  him  into  a neighbouring  wood,  and  pretended  to 
employ  themselves  in  cutting  faggots.  For  better  con- 
cealment, he  mounted  an  oak,  where,  hid  among  the 
leaves,  he  saw  several  soldiers  pass  by,  who  expressed 
in  his  hearing,  their  earnest  wishes  of  finding  him.  At 
length,  after  escaping  the  frequent  dangers  of  detec- 
tion, the  king  embarked  on  board  a vessel  at  Shore 
ham,  in  Sussex,  a.id  arrived  safely  at  Fescamp  in  Nor 
mandy,  after  a concealment  of  one  and  forty  Jays 


THE  COMMONWEALTH. 


67 


No  less  than  forty  men  and  women  had  at  different 
Jimes  been  privy  to  his  concealment,  yet  all  of  them 
proved  faithful  to  their  trust. 

The  battle  of  Worcester  afforded  Cromwell  what 
he  called  his  “ crowning  mercy  5”  and  he  now  discov- 
ered to  his  intimate  friends  his  aspiring  views.  The 
unpopularity  of  the  parliament  aided  the  ambition  of 
this  enterprising  man,  and  paved  the  way  to  his  exal- 
tation. Never,  however,  had  the  power  of  this  coun- 
try apprared  so  formidable  to  neighbouring  nations,  a§ 
at  this  time.  Blake  had  raised  the  naval  glory  of  Eng- 
land to  a greater  height  than  it  had  attained  at  any 
former  period.  In  America,  the  Bermudas,  Antigua, 
Virginia,  and  Barbadoes,  were  reduced  3 Jersey,  Guern- 
sey, Scilly,  and  the  Isle  of  Man,  were  brought  under 
subjection  to  the  republic  5 and  all  the  British  do- 
minions submitting,  parliament  turned  its  views  to  for- 
eign enterprises. 

The  dutch  were  the  first  that  felt  the  weight  of  their 
arms.  The  parliament  passed  the  famous  navigation 
act.  Letters  of  reprisal  were  granted  to  several  mer- 
chants, who  complained  of  injuries  which  they  had 
received  from  the  states : and  above  eighty  Dutch 
ships  fell  into  their  hands,  and  were  made  prizes.  The 
cruelties  committed  on  the  English  at  Amboyna,  which 
had  been  suffered  to  sleep  in  oblivion  for  thirty  years, 
were  also  urged  as  a ground  for  hostile  aggression. 

That  they  might  not  be  unprepared  for  the  war  with 
16r<21  they  were  menaced,  the  states  equipped 

•*  a fleet  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  sail ; and  gave 
the  command  of  a squadron  of  forty-two  ships  to  Van 
Tromp,  an  admiral  of  great  talents,  to  protect  the 
Dutch  navigation  against  the  privateers  of  England. 
In  the  road  of  Dover,  he  met  with  Blake,  who  com- 
manded an  English  fleet  much  inferior  in  number. 
Who  was  the  aggressor  in  the  action  which  ensued,  it 
is  not  easy  to  determine  ; but  the  Dutch  were  defeated 
with  the  loss  of  one  ship  sunk,  and  another  taken. 

The  parliament  gladly  seized  this  opportunity  of 
commencing  the  war  in  form.  Several  actions  now 
took  place  with  various  success.  At  length,  Tromp 
seconded  by  De  Ruyter,  met  near  the  Goodwin  Sands 
with  Blake,  who,  though  his  fleet  was  inferior  to  that 
of  the  Dutch,  declined  not  the  combat.  Both  sides 


68 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


fought  with  the  greatest  bravery  ; but  the  advantage 
remained  with  the  Dutch ; and  after  this  victory, 
Tromp,  in  a bravado,  fixed  a broom  to  his  mast-head, 
as  if  resolved  to  sweep  the  seas  of  the  English. 

Great  preparations  were  made  in  England  to  wipe 
off  this  disgrace  ; and  a fleet  of  eighty  sail  was 


JG53] 


fitted  out,  commanded  by  Blake,  and  under  him 


bv  Dean  and  Monk.  As  the  English  lay  off  Portland, 
they  descried  a Dutch  fleet  of  seventy-six  vessels, 
mailing  up  the  channel  with  three  hundred  merchant- 
men, under  the  command  of  Tromp  and  De  Ruyter. 
A most  furious  battle  commenced,  and  continued  for 
three  days,  with  the  utmost  lage  and  obstinacy  ; and 
Blake,  who  was  victor,  could  scarcely  be  said  to  have 
gained  more  honour  than  th-ii  vanquished.  Tromp 
made  a skilful  retreat,  and  after  losing  eleven  ships 
of  war,  and  thirty  merchantmen,  reached  the  coast  of 
Holland. 

This  defeat,  together  with  the  loss  which  their  trade 
sustained  by  the  war,  inclined  the  states  to  peace; 
. but  parliament  did  not  receive  their  overtures  in  a fa- 
vourable manner;  and  they  rejoiced  at  the  dissolution 
of  that  assembly  by  Cromwell,  as  an  event  likely  to 
render  their  affairs  more  prosperous. 

Cromwell,  sensible  that  parliament  entertained  a 
jealousy  of  his  power,  which  they  wished  to  restrain, 
determined  to  anticipate  their  designs.  A council  of 
officers  presented  a remonstrance,  complaining  of  the 
arrears  due  to  the  army,  and  demanding  that  a new 
parliament  should  be  summoned.  To  this  the  parlia- 
ment made  a sharp  reply  ; and  Cromw^’I  in  a rage  has- 
tened to  the  house,  attended  by  three  hundred  soldiers, 
some  of  whom  he  placed  at  the  door,  some  in  the  lob- 
by, and  some  on  the  stairs.  He  reproached  the  par- 
liament for  their  tyranny,  ambition,  and  oppression; 
and  commanding  the  soldiers  to  clear  the  hall,  he 
himself  went  out  the  last,  and  ordering  the  doors  to 
be  locked,  departed  to  his  lodgings  at  Whitehall. 

Oliver  Cromwell,  who  had  t>y  this  violent  measure 
monopolized  the  whole  civil  and  military  power  in 
the  kingdom,  was  born  at  Huntingdon,  of  a good  fami- 
ly, though  their  estate  was  small.  In  the  early  part 
of  his  life,  he  was  extremely  dissolute  and  dissipated  1 
but  he  was  suddenly  seized  with  the  spirit  of  reforma 


1 


I 


THE  COMMONWEALTR 


69 


tion,  and  entered  into  all  the  zeal  and  rigour  of  the 
puritans.  His  affairs  being  embarrassed,  he  took  a 
farm  at  St.  Ives,  and  applied  himself  to  agriculture 
but  this  expedient  involved  him  in  greater  difficulties. 
The  length  of  his  prayers,  together  with  the  genera, 
abstraction  of  his  mind,  prevented  him  from  paying 
due  attention  to  his  farm  ; and  urged  by  his  wants,  and 
the  religious  principles  he  had  imbibed,  he  had  made 
a party  with  Hampden,  his  near  kinsman,  to  transport 
himself  to  New-England,  but  was  prevented  by  an  or- 
der of  council.  From  accident  and  intrigue  he  was 
chosen  member  for  the  town  of  Cambridge  in  the  long 
parliament;  but  though  highly  gifted  by  nature,  he 
was  no  orator ; and  if  he  had  not  lived  in  times  of  tur 
bulence  and  disorder,  it  is  probable  that  he  would  nev 
er  have  risen  to  eminence  and  distinction. 

The  indignation  manifested  by  the  people,  on  the 
usurpation  of  Cromwell,  was  less  violent  than  might 
have  been  expected.  Harrassed  with  wars  and  fac- 
tions, men  were  glad  to  see  any  prospect  of  peace ; 
and  they  considered  it  less  ignominious  to  submit  to 
a person  of  talents  and  abilities,  than  to  a few  enthu- 
siastic hypocrites,  who,  under  the  name  of  a republic, 
had  reduced  them  to  a cruel  subjection. 

By  the  advice  of  his  council  of  officers,  Cromwell 
sent  summons  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  per- 
sons, of  different  towns  and  counties  of  England,  to 
five  of  Scotland,  and  to  six  of  Ireland.  These  men, 
who  were  generally  low  mechanics,  supported  by 
Cromweli,  voted  themselves  a parliament;  and  from 
one  of  the  most  noted,  a leather-seller  in  London, 
whose  name  was  Praise-God  Barebone,  they  obtained 
the  ridiculous  appellation  of  Barebone's  parliament. 
Cromwell,  however,  soon  became  dissatisfied  with 
this  assembly  of  fanatics,  who,  he  expected,  would 
have  been  subservient  to  him,  but  who  began  to  in- 
sist on  their  divine  commission,  and  to  oppose  his 
views.  In  *he  act  of  drawing  up  a protest  against  their 
dissolution,  they  were  interrupted  by  Colonel  White, 
with  a party  of  soldiers.  White  asked  them  what 
they  did  there  1 11  We  are  seeking  the  Lord,”  said 
they.  “ Then  you  may  go  elsewhere,”  replied  he; 
“ for  to  my  knowledge,  he  has  not  been  here  these  ma- 
ny years.” 


I 


70  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

This  shadow  of  a parliament  being  dissolved,  the 
council  of  officers  now  proposed,  that  the  supreme  au 
thoritv  should  be  vested  in  a single  person,  who  should 
be  sti led  the  protector  ; and  a new  instrument  of 
government  being  prepared,  Cromwell  was  declared 
protector , and  installed  with  great  solemnity  in  that 
high  office.  By  the  plan  of  this  new  legislature,  a 
council  was  appointed,  which  was  not  to  exceed  twen- 
ty-one, nor  be  fewer  than  thirteen  persons.  The  pro- 
tector, however,  was  to  possess  all  the  executive  pow- 
er; but  the  advice  of  the  council  vyas  to  be  taken  oit 
every  important  occasion.  A parliament  was  to  be 
summoned  every  three  years,  and  allowed  to  sit.  five 
months,  without  adjournment,  prorogation,  or  dissolu- 
tion. The  bills  which  they  passed  were  to  be  present- 
ed to  the  protector  for  his  assent ; but  if  within  twen 
ty  days  that  assent  was  not  obtained,  they  were  to  be 
come  law's  by  the  authority  of  parliament  alone.  A 
standing  army  was  established,  and  funds  wrere  assign- 
ed for  its  support.  During  the  intervals  of  parliament, 
the  protector  and  council  had  the  power  of  enacting 
laws,  which  were  to  be  valid  till  the  next  meeting  of 
the  legislative  body.  The  protector  was  to  enjoy  his 
office  during  life  ; and,  on  his  death,  the  council  was 
to  fill  up  the  vacancy.  The  council  of  state,  named 
by  the  instrument,  were  men  entirely  devoted  to 
Cromwell,  and  not  likely  ever  to  combine  agaosthim. 

Whatever  may  be  the  defects  and  distraction?  in 
this  system  of  civil  polity,  the  military  force  of  Eng 
land  was  exerted  with  vigour,  conduct,  and  unanimity. 
The  English  fleet,  commanded  by  Monk  and  Dean,  af- 
ter an  engagement  of  two  days,  defeated  the  Dutch 
under  Tromp  ; and  in  an  another  engagement,  when 
Blake  commanded,  Tromp  was  shot  through  the  heart, 
and  this  decided  the  action.  The  Dutch  regarded 
!ess  the  loss  of  thirty  ships  which  were  sunk  and  taken, 
than  the  catastrophe  of  their  brave  admiral.  At  length, 
however,  a defensive  league  was  contracted  be- 
J tween  the  two  republics,  on  terms  very  honour- 
able and  advantageous  to  England  ; and  Cromwell,  as 
protector,  signed  the  treaty  of  pacification. 

Cromwell,  however,  had  occasion  to  observe  the 
prejudices  entertained  against  his  government,  by  the 
disposition  of  the  parliament  which  he  had  summon 


THE  COMMONWEALTH. 


7i 


ed.  The  manner  irt  which  he  had  conducted  the  elec- 
tions nad  been  favourable  to  liberty.  The  small  bor 
oughs,  as  being  most  exposed  to  influence  and  corrup- 
tion, had  been  disfranchised  $ and  of  four  hundred 
members  who  represented  England,  two  hundred  and 
seventy  were  chosen  by  the  counties.  These  meas- 
ures, however,  failed  to  procure  him  the  confidence 
of  the  people  ; and’  the  first  business  on  which  the  par 
liament  entered,  was  to  discuss  the  pretended  instru 
ment  of  government,  and  the  authority  which  Crom- 
well had  assumed  over  the  nation.  Cromwell  obliged 
the  members  to  sign  a recognition  of  his  authority,  and 
an  engagement  not  to  propose  or  consent  to  any  alter- 
ation in  the  government,  as  settled  in  a single  person 
and  a parliament } but,  finding  that  conspiracies  had 
been  entered  into  between  the  members  and  some 
malcontent  officers,  he  hastened  to  dissolve  this  dan- 
gerous assembly. 

After  this,  the  protector  exerted  himself  against  the 
16551  adherents  of  Charles,  who  had  appointed  a day 
■*  of  general  rising  throughout  England  ; and  in 
order  to  draw  off  the  attention  of  the  nation  from  him- 
self, he  extended  his  enterprises  to  every  part  of  Eu- 
rope. He  compelled  the  French  to  comply  with  ev- 
ery proposal  which  he  thought  fit  to  make,  and  to  sub- 
mit to  the  greatest  indignities. 

The  extensive  but  feebie  empire  of  Spain  in  the 
West  Indies,  excited  the  ambition  of  the  protector ; 
and,  in  order  to  humble  that  power,  he  equipped  two 
squadrons  j one  under  Blake  entered  the  Mediterra- 
nean, and  spread  terror  every  where.  To  the  other, 
under  Pen  and  Venables,  Jamaica  surrendered  without 
a blow  ; and  that  island  has  ever  since  remained  in  the 
hands  of  the  English,  the  chief  acquisition  which  they 
owe  to  the  enterprising  spirit  of  Cromwell. 

Blake  being  informed  that  a Spanish  fleet  of  sixteen 
ships  had  taken  shelter  in  the  Canaries,  sailed  thither 
and  found  them  in  the  bay  of  Santa  Cruz.  This  bay 
was  strongly  fortified;  but  nothing  could  daunt  the 
spirit  of  Blake.  In  spite  of  the  Spanish  forts  and  bat- 
teries, the  English  admiral  steered  into  the  bay  ; and 
after  a resistance  of  four  hours,  the  enemy  abandoned 
their  ships,  which  were  set  on  fire  and  consumed. 

This  was  the  last  and  greatest  action  of  that  gallant 


72  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

officer.  Being  almost  worn  out  with  a dropsy  and 
scurvy,  he  hastened  home,  that  he  might  die  in  his  na- 
tive country  3 but  he  expired  as  he  came  within  sight 
of  land.  Never  was  a man  more  sincerely  respected, 
even  by  those  of  opposite  principles.  He  was  an  in- 
flexible republican,  and  the  late  changes  were  thought 
to  be  no  way  grateful  to, him  3 but  he  remarked  to  the 
seamen,  “ It  is  still  our  duty  to  fight  for  our  country, 
into  whose  hands  soever  the  government  may  Fall.'' 

The  conduct  of  the  protector  in  foreign  affairs, 
though  often  rash,  was  full  of  vigour.  The  great  mind 
of  Cromwell  was  intent  on  spreading  the  fame  of  the 
English  nation  3 and  it  was  his  boast,  that  lie  would 
render  the  name  of  an  Englishman  as  much  feared  and 
revered  as  ever  was  that  of  a Roman.  In  his  civil  and 
domestic  administration,  he  paid  great  regard  both  to 
justice  and  clemency.  All  the  chief  offices  in  the 
courts  of  judicature  were  filled  with  men  of  integrity  j 
and  amidst  the  virulence  of  faction,  the  decrees  of  the 
judges  were  unwarped  by  partiality. 

Cromwell  now  judging  that  he  had  sufficiently  es- 
tablished his  authority,  summoned  another  parlia 
ment3  but,  though  he  had  used  every  art  to  influence 
the  elections,  he  soon  found  that  it  was  necessary  to 
employ  the  most  violent  measures  to  procure  an  as- 
cendency in  the  house.  He  placed  guards  at  the  door, 
who  permitted  only  such  to  enter  as  produced  a war- 
rant from  the  council.  The  parliament  voted  a re- 
nunciation of  all  titles  in  Charles  Stuart,  or  any  of  his 
family  5 and  colonel  Jephson,  in  order  to  sound  the 
inclinations  of  the  house,  ventured  to  move,  that  they 
should  bestow  the  crown  on  Cromwell.  When  the 
protector  afterwards  affected  to  ask  what  could  induce 
him  to  make  such  a motion  3 u As  long,”  said  Jeph- 
son, il  as  I have  the  honour  to  sit  in  parliament,  I must 
follow  the  dictates  of  my  own  conscience,  whatever 
offence  I may  be  so  unfortunate  as  to  give  you.” 
%l  G«d  thee  gone,”  said  Cromwell,  giving  him  a gentle 
blow  on  the  shoulder,  “ get  thee  gone  for  a mad  fel- 
low as  thou  art.” 

At  length,  a motion  in  form  was  made  by  alderman 
Pack,  one  of  the  city  members,  for  investing  Crom- 
well with  the  royal  dignity.  The  chief  opposition 
came  from  the  usual  adherents  of  the  prelector,  the 


THE  COMMONWEALTH. 


73 

general  officers,  particularly  Lambert,  who  had  long 
entertained  hopes  of  succeeding  him.  However,  the 
bill  was  carried  by  a considerable  majority  ; and  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  reason  with  Cromwell, 
If  ri71  a<^  *°  OV€rcome  tbe  scruples  which  he  pretend- 
■*  ed  against  such  a liberal  offer.  The  conference 
lasted  several  days ; but  the  opposition  which  Crom- 
well dreaded  was  not  that  which  came  from  Lambert 
and  his  adherents  : it  was  that  which  he  met  with  in 
his  own  family,  and  from  men  the  most  devoted  to  his 
interests.  Fleetwood  had  married  his  daughter,  and 
Desborow  his  sister;  yet  these  men  told  him,  that  if 
he  accepted  of  the  crown,  they  would  instantly  throw 
up  their  commissions,  and  render  it  impossible  for 
them  to  serve  him.  In  short,  it  is  said  that  a gener- 
al mutiny  of  the  army  was  justly  dreaded,  if  this  ambi- 
tious project  had  been  carried  into  execution  ; and 
therefore  Cromwell,  after  long  doubt  and  perplexity, 
was  at  last  obliged  to  refuse  the  crown.  The  parlia- 
ment, however,  gave  him  the  power  of  nominating  his 
successor,  and  assigned  him  a perpetual  revenue  for 
the  payment  of  the  fleet  and  army,  and  the  support  of 
the  civil  government. 

The  parliament  was  again  assembled,  and  the  pro- 
tector endeavoured  to  maintain  the  appearance  of  a 
civil  magistrate,  by  placing  no  guards  at  the  door  of 
either  house  ; but  he  soon  found  hov*  ’ncompatibie 
liberty  is  with  a military  usurpation.  The  commons 
assumed  the  power  of  readmitting  those  members 
whom  the  council  had  formerly  excluded  5 and  an  in- 
contestable majority  declared  themselves  against  the 
protector.  Dreading  combinations  between  the  mem- 
bers and  the  malcontents  in  the  army,  Cromwell  de- 
termined to  dissolve  the  parliament  without  delay  ; 
and  when  urged  by  Fleetwood  and  others  of  his  friends 
not  to  precipitate  himself  into  so  rash  a measure,  he 
swore  by  the  living  God  that  they  should  not  sit  a mo- 
ment longer. 

These  distractions  at  home,  however,  did  not  render 
the  protector  inattentive  to  foreign  affairs.  The  Span- 
iards were  defeated  at  Dunes  by  the  combined  armies 
of  France  and  England;  aud  Dunkirk  being  soon  af 
ter  surrendered,  was  delivered  to  Cromwell.  He  com 
milled  the  government  of  that  important  place  tc 


74 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND 


Lockhart,  who  had  married  his  niece,  and  was  his  am 
bassador  at  the  court  of  France. 

These  successes  abroad  were  more  than  counter- 
balanced by  his  inquietudes  at  home.  The  royalists 
and  presbyterians  entered  into  a conspiracy,  which  be- 
ing discovered,  numbers  were  thrown  into  prison,  and 
pir  Henry  Slingsby  and  Dr.  Huettwere  condemned  to 
.be  beheaded.  The  army  was  ripe  for  a mutiny  ; and 
Fleetwood  and  his  wife,  who  had  adopted  republican 
principles,  began  to  estrange  themselves  from  Crom- 
well. His  other  daughters  were  no  less  prejudiced  in 
favour  of  the  royal  cause  ; and  the  death  of  Mrs.  Clay 
pole,  his  peculiar  favourite,  destroyed  ail  his  enjoy 
ments. 

All  composure  of  mind  seemed  now  for  ever  fled 
from  the  protector.  He  saw  nothing  around  him  but 
treacherous  friends  or  enraged  enemies  ; and  death, 
which  he  had  so  often  braved  in  the  field,  haunted  him 
in  every  scene  of  business  or  repose.  Every  action 
betrayed  the  terrors  under  which  he  laboured.  He 
never  moved  a step  without  guards  ; he  wore  armour 
under  his  clothes;  and  he  seldom  slept  above  three 
nights  together  in  the  same  chamber. 

The  contagion  of  his  mind  began  to  affect  his  body 
He  was  seized  with  a slow  fever,  which  changed  into 
a tertian  ague.  Dangerous  symptoms  soon  made  their 
appearance.  Cashing  his  eyes  towards  that  future 
existence,  which,  though  once  familiar  to  him,  had 
been  considerably  obliterated  by  the  hurry  of  business, 
Cromwell  asked  Goodwin,  one  of  his  preachers,  if  it 
were  true  that  the  elect  could  never  fall  or  suffer  final 
reprobation?  “Nothing  more  certain,”  replied  the 
preacher.  “Then  I am  safe,”  said  the  protector, 
“ for  I am  sure  that  I was  once  in  a state  of  grace.” 

He  died  on  the  third  of  September,  a day  which  he 
had  always  considered  as  propitious  to  him,  in  the  fif- 
ty-ninth year  of  his  age.  A violent  tempest,  which 
immediately  succeeded  his  death,  served  as  a subject 
of  discourse  to  the  vulgar;  and  his  partisans,  as  well 
as  his  enemies,  endeavoured,  by  forced  inferences,  to 
interpret  this  event  as  a confirmation  of  their  particu 
lar  prejudices. 

The  private  conduct  of  Cromwell,  as  a son,  a hus- 
band,  a father,  and  a friend,  merits  praise  rather  than 


THE  COMMONWEALTH. 


75 


censure;  and,  upon  the  whole,  his  character  was  a 
compound  of  all  the  virtues  and  all  the  vices  which 
spring  from  violent  ambition  and  wild  fanaticism. 

Cromwell  was  surrounded  with  so  many  difficulties, 
that  it  was  thought  he  could  not  much  longer  have 
extended  his  usurped  administration , but  when  that 
powerful  hand  was  removed,  which  conducted  the 
government,  every  one  expected  a sudden  dissolution 
of  the  baseless  fabric.  Richard,  his  son,  possessed 
no  talents  for  government,  and  only  the  virtues  of 
private  life  ; yet  the  council  recognized  his  succes- 
sion. His  brother  Henry,  who  governed  Ireland  with 
popularity,  insured  him  the  obedience  of  that  king- 
dom ; and  Monk,  who  was  much  attached  to  the  fami- 
ly of  Cromwell,  proclaimed  the  new  protector  in  Scot- 
land. Above  ninety  addresses  from  the  counties  and 
most  considerable  corporations  congratulated  Richard 
Ifp-Ql  on  his  accession  j and  a parliament  being  call- 
-*  ed,  all  the  commons  at  first,  without  hesitation, 
signed  an  engagement  not  to  alter  the  present  govern- 
ment. 

But  there  was  another  quarter  from  which  greater 
dangers  were  justly  apprehended.  The  most  consid- 
erable officers  of  the  army,  with  Fleetwood  and  Lam- 
bert at  their  head,  were  entering  into  cabals  against 
Richard.  The  young  protector,  having  neither  reso- 
lution nor  pent  Oration,  was  prevailed  on  to  give  his 
consent  for  calling  a general  council  of  officers,  who 
were  no  sooner  assembled,  than  they  voted  a remon- 
strance, in  which  they  lamented  that  the  good  old 
cause,  as  they  termed  it,  was  neglected  ; and  they  pro- 
posed, as  a remedy,  that  the  whole  military  power 
should  be  entrusted  to  some  person,  in  whom  they 
might  all  confide.  The  protector  was  justly  alarmed 
at  these  movements  among  the  officers  ; and  some  of 
his  partisans  offered  to  put  an  end  to  these  intrigues 
by  the  death  of  Lambert;  but  Richard  declared  that 
he  would  not  purchase  power  by  such  sanguinary 
measures. 

The  pari  iamenT  was  no  less  alarmed  at  these  milita- 
ry cabals,  and  passed  a vote,  that  there  should  be  no 
general  council  of  officers,  without  the  protector’s 
consent.  This  brought  matters  to  a crisis.  The  offi- 
cers hastened  to  Richard,  and  demanded  the  dissolu 


76 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


tlon  of  tne  parliament.  The  protector  wanted  the 
resolution  to  deny,  and  possessed  little  ability  to  re- 
sist this  demand ; and  he  soon  after  signed  his  own 
resignation  in  form.  Henry,  the  deputy  of  Ireland, 
was  endowed  with  the  same  moderate  disposition  as 
his  brother;  and  though  his  popularity  and  influence 
in  that  country  were  very  considerable,  he  quietly  re- 
signed his  authority  and  returned  to  England. 

Thus  fell,  a-  once,  the  protectorate  house  of  Crom- 
well; but,  by  a rare  fortune,  it  suffered  no  molesta- 
tion. Richard  continued  to  possess  an  estate,  which 
he  had  burdened  with  a debt  contracted  for  the  inter- 
ment of  his  father.  After  the  restoration,  though  un- 
molested, he  travelled  for  some  years,  and  then  re- 
turning to  England,  lived  to  an  extreme  old  age.  He 
was  beloved  for  his  social  virtues,  and  happier  in  tran- 
quillity and  retirement  than  he  could  have  been  by  the 
applause  of  empty  fame  and  the  gratifications  of  the 
most  successful  ambition. 

The  council  of  officers,  in  whom  the  supreme  au- 
thority was  now  lodged,  agreed  to  revive  the  long 
parliament.  The  members  little  exceeded  seventy  in 
number;  but  they  took  care  to  thwart  the  measures 
of  the  officers  ; and  they  appointed  Fleetwood  lieu 
tenant-general  only  during  the  pleasure  of  the  house. 

The  conduct  of  the  parliament  gave  great  disgust 
to  the  general-officers,  who  resolved  to  dissolve  an 
assembly  by  which  they  were  vehemently  opposed. 
Accordingly,  Lambert  drew  together  some  troops,  and 
intercepting  the  members  as  they  came  to  the  house, 
sent  them  home  under  a military  escort. 

The  officers  now  found  themselves  again  in  posses- 
sion of  supreme  power;  but  to  save  appearances,  they 
elected  twenty-three  persons,  called  a committee  of 
safety , which  they  pretended  to  invest  with  sovereign 
authority.  Throughout  the  three  kingdoms  there  pre- 
vailed nothing  but  melancholy  fears  of  a bloody  mas- 
sacre to  the  nobility  and  gentry,  and  of  perpetual  ser 
vitude  to  the  rest  of  the  people. 

But  amidst  these  gloomy  prospects,  a means  was 
preparing  for  the  king  to  mount  in  peace  the  throne 
of  his  ancestors.  General  George  Monk,  to  whose 
prudence  and  loyalty  the  restoration  of  the  monarchy 
is  chiefly  to  be  ascribed,  was  the  second  son  of  a* 


THE  COMMONWEALTH. 


77 


floncurable  family  in  Devonshire,  but  somewhat  gone 
to  decay.  He  had  betaken  himself,  in  early  youth,  to 
the  profession  of  arms  ; and  by  his  humane  disposition 
he  gained  the  good  will  of  the  soldiers,  who  usually 
called  him  honest  George  Monk.  He  was  remarkable 
for  his  moderation  5 and,  from  the  candour  of  his  be- 
haviour, he  fell  under  suspicion  of  the  royalists,  and 
was  suspended  for  a time.  At  the  siege  of  Nantwich, 
he  was  taken  prisoner  bv  Fairfax,  and  sent  to  the 
Tower,  where  he  endured,  about  two  years,  all  the 
rigours  of  poverty  and  confinement;  and  it  was  not 
till  after  the  royalists  were  totally  subdued  that  he  re- 
covered his  liberty. 

Monk,  however  distressed,  had  always  refused  the 
most  inviting  offers  from  the  parliament;  but  Crom- 
well, sensible  of  his  merit,  prevailed  on  him  to  engage 
in  the  wars  against  the  Irish,  who  were  considered  as 
rebels  both  by  the  king  and  parliament.  He  after- 
wards fought  in  Scotland,  and  on  the  reduction  of  that 
kingdom,  was  left  with  the  supreme  command.  In  that 
capacity,  he  gave  satisfaction  both  to  the  people  and 
the  soldiery  ; and  foreseeing  that  the  good  will  of  th. 
army  might  eventually  be  of  great  service  to  him,  hr 
cultivated  their  friendship  with  assiduity  and  success 

Hearing  that  Lambert  was  advancing  northward, 
Monk  sent  commissioners  to  treat  with  the  committee 
of  safety  ; but  his  chief  aim  was  to  gain  time,  and  re- 
lax the  preparations  of  his  enemies.  In  the  mean 
time,  the  nation  had  fallen  into  anarchy.  While  Lam- 
berts forces  were  assembling  at  Newcastle,  Hazelrig 
and  Morley  took  possession  of  Portsmouth  for  the 
parliament : and  admiral  Lawson,  entering  the  river 
Thames,  declared  on  the  same  side.  The  city  of  Lon- 
don established  a kind  of  separate  government  within 
itself;  and  Fleetwood  was  unable  to  support  the 
baseless  fabric,  which  was  every  where  falling  to  pie- 
ces. 

Monk,  who  had  passed  the  Tweed,  though  informed 
of  the  restoration  of  parliament,  continued  to  advance 
at  the  head  of  about  six  thousand  men.  In  all  the 
counties  through  which  he  passed,  the  gentry  flocked 
to  him  with  addresses,  requesting  that  he  would  assisl 
in  restoring  the  nation  to  peace  and  tranquillity;  bti 
he  affected  not  to  favour  them 


* 


To  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

Monk  and  his  army  soon  reached  the  metropolis. 
IfifOl  r^e  common-council  of  London  having  refused 
to  submit  to  an  assessment,  and  declared  that 
till  a free  parliament  imposed  taxes  they  would  make 
no  payment,  Monk  was  ordered  to  march  into  the  city, 
and  seize  twelve  persons  the  most  obnoxious  to  the 
parliament.  With  this  order  he  immediately  com- 
plied, and  apprehended  as  many  as  he  could  of  the 
proscribed  persons;  but  soon  reflecting  that  by  this 
action  lie  had  broke  through  the  cautious  ambiguity 
which  he  had  hitherto  maintained,  and  rendered  him- 
self the  tool  of  a parliament  whose  tyranny  had  long 
been  odious  to  the  nation,  he  wrote  a letter  to  the 
house,  requiring  them,  in  the  name  of  the  citizens, 
soldiers,  and  whole  commonwealth,  to  issue  writs 
within  a w’eek  for  the  filling  of  their  assembly,  and  to 
fix  the  time  for  their  own  dissolution  and  the  meeting 
of  a new  parliament.  He  then  marched  with  his  army 
into  the  city,  and  requesting  the  mayor  to  summon  a 
common-council,  he  apologized  for  his  late  conduct, 
and  desired  that  they  might  mutually  plight  their  faith 
for  a strict  union  between  the  city  and  army,  in  every 
measure  which  might  conduce  to  the  settlement  of 
the  commonwealth. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  describe  the  joy  which 
this  intelligence  conveyed;  and  the  funeral  of  the 
parliament  was  celebrated  by  the  populace  with  marks 
of  hatred  and  derision.  The  secluded  members  were 
invited  by  the  general  to  enter  the  house,  and  appear- 
ed to  be  the  majority.  Votes  were  passed  favourable 
to  the  views  of  Monk;  and  writs  were  issued  for  the 
immediate  assembling  of  a new  parliament. 

When  the  parliament  met,  sir  Harbottle  Grimstone, 
a gentleman  well  affected  to  the  king’s  service,  was 
chosen  speaker  ; and  the  general  having  sounded  the 
inclinations  of  the  assembly,  gave  directions  to  the 
president  of  the  council  to  inform  them,  . atone  six 
John  Granville,  a servant  of  the  king,  was  now  at  tho 
door  with  a letter  to  the  commons.  This  intelligence 
excited  the  loudest  acclamations;  Granville  was  call- 
ed in  ; and,  without  one  dissenting  voice,  a committee 
was  appointed  to  prepare  an  answer. 

The  king’s  declaration,  which  was  immediately  pub- 
lished, offered  a general  amnesty,  with  the  exception 


CHARLES  II. 


73 


only  of  such  persons  as  should  be  made  by  parlia- 
ment^ it  promised  liberty  of  conscience  ; and  assured 
the  soldiers  of  all  their  arrears,  with  a continuance  of 
the  same  pay. 

The  lords,  perceiving  the  spirit  by  which  the  king- 
dom, as  well  as  the  commons,  was  animated,  hasten- 
ed to  reinstate  themselves  in  their  ancient  authority  3 
and  the  two  houses  attended,  while  the  king  was  pro- 
claimed with  great  solemnity  in  Palace-yard,  at  White- 
hall, and  at  Temple-bar.  A committee  of  lords  and 
commons  was  despatched  to  invite  his  majesty  to  re- 
turn, and  take  possession  of  the  throne  5 and  the  king, 
embarking  at  Scheveling,  landed  at  Dover,  where  he 
was  met  by  Monk,  whom  he  cordially  embraced.  On 
the  29th  of  May,  which  was  also  his  birth-day,  Charles 
entered  London,  amidst  the  most  joyful  congratula- 
tions. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  reign  of  Charles  II. 

When  Charles  II.  ascended  the  throne,  he  was 
16601  thirty  years  of  age.  He  possessed  a vigorous 
* constitution,  a fine  shape,  a manly  figure,  and  a 
graceful  air;  and  though  his  features  were  harsh,  yet 
his  countenance  was  lively  and  engaging.  No  prince 
ever  received  a crown  with  the  more  cordial  attach- 
ment of  his  subjects;  and  the  ease  and  affability  of 
his  manners  were  well  calculated  to  confirm  this  pop 
ularity. 

In  the  choice  of  his  ministers,  the  king  gave  great 
satisfaction  to  the  nation.  Sir  Edward  Hyde,  created 
earl  of  Clarendon,  was  chancellor  and  prime-minis- 
ter; the  duke  of  Ormond,  steward  of  the  household; 
the  earl  of  Southampton,  high-treasurer  ; and  sir  Ed- 
ward Nicholas,  secretary  of  state.  Admiral  Montague, 
who  had  carried  a fleet  to  receive  his  majesty,  without 
waiting  for  the  orders  of  parliament,  was  created  earl 
of  Sandwich;  and  Monk,  who,  without  effusion  of 
blood,  by  his  cautious  and  disinterested  conduct,  set- 
tled the  affairs  of  the  three  kingdoms,  and  restored 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


60 

his  injured  sovereign  to  the  vacant  throne,  was  creat 
ea  duke  of  Albemarle.  Into  the  king's  council  were 
admitted  the  most  eminent  men  of  the  nation,  without 
regard  to  former  distinctions  ; the  presbyterians,  equal- 
ly with  the  royalists,  shared  this  honour. 

All  judicial  proceedings,  transacted  in  the  name  of 
the  commonwealth,  or  protector,  were  ratified  by  a 
new  law:  and  the  act  of  indemnity  passed  both  hous- 
es and  soon  received  the  royal  assent.  The  regicides, 
with  Vane  and  Lambert,  were  alone  excepted  j and 
all  who  had  sitten  in  any  illegal  high  court  of  justice, 
were  declared  incapable  of  bearing  any  office  in  the 
state. 

The  next  business  was  the  settlement  of  the  kings 
revenue.  They  granted  him  one  hundred  thousand 
pounds  a-year,  in  lieu  of  the  tenures  of  wards  and 
liveries,  which  had  long  been  considered  as  a grievous 
burden  by  the  nobility  and  gentry  5 and  tney  voted, 
that  the  settled  revenue  of  the  crown,  for  all  charges, 
should  amount  to  the  annual  sum  of  one  million  two 
hundred  thousand  pounds  ; but,  still  jealous  of  liberty, 
they  scarcely  assigned  sufficient  funds  for  two  thirds 
of  that  sum  5 and  thus  left  the  care  of  fulfilling  theii 
engagements  to  the  future  consideration  of  parlia 
ment. 

The  next  object  which  interested  the  public,  was 
the  trial  and  condemnation  of  the  regicides.  Harri- 
son, Scot,  Carew,  Clement,  Jones,  Scrope,Axtel,  Hack- 
er, Coke,  and  Hugh  Peters,  suffered  with  the  confi- 
dence of  martyrs.  The  rest  of  the  king's  judges  were 
reprieved. 

After  the  parliament  had  sitten  about  two  months, 
the  king  dissolved  that  assembly  in  a speech  full  of 
the  most  gracious  expressions.  The  army  was  also 
disbanded  ; and  no  more  troops  were  retained  than  a 
few  guards  and  garrisons,  about  one  thousand  horse 
and  four  thousand  foot.  This,  however,  was  the  first 
appearance  of  a regular  standing.army,  under  the  mon- 
archy, in  this  island. 

Clarendon,  whose  daughter,  Ann  Hyde,  was  now 
married  to  the  duke  of  York,  by  his  wisdom,  his  jus 
tice,  and  his  prudence,  equally  promoted  the  interest 
of  the  king  and  the  people  3 but  his  conduct  in  the 
management  of  ecclesiastical  affairs  has  been  cen- 

O 


CHARLES  II. 


81 


Fured  by  many.  Charles  having  observed  that  presby- 
terianism  was  not  a religion  for  a gentleman,  it  was 
resolved  to  restore  prelacy  in  Scotland.  Sharp,  who 
had  been  commissioned  by  the  presbyterians  in  Scot- 
land to  manage  their  interests  with  the  king,  was  per- 
suaded to  abandon  his  party,  and,  as  a reward  for  his 
tergiversation,  was  created  archbishop  of  St.  An- 
drews. The  conduct  of  ecclesiastical  affairs  was 
chiefly  intrusted  to  him  ; and  he  became  extrepiely 
obnoxious  to  his  former  friends. 

In  England,  the  new  parliament,  laying  hold  of  the 
prejudices  which  prevailed  among  the  presbyterian 
sect,  in  order  to  eject  them  from  their  livings,  requir- 
ed that  every  clergyman  should  be  re-ordained,  if  he 
had  not  before  received  episcopal  ordination.;  should 
declare  his  assent  to  every  thing  contained  in 
the  Book  of  Common  Prayer;  should  take  the 
oath  of  canonical  obedience  ; should  abjure  the  sol- 
emn league  and  covenant;  and  should  renounce  the 
principle  of  taking  arms  against  the  king,  on  any  pre- 
sence whatsoever.  This  act,  and  others  which  passed 
about  the  same  time,  have  been  the  best  supports  of 
the  state,  by  joining  it  closely  with  the  church.  It 
must,  however,  be  confessed,  that  by  these  enact- 
ments the  king’s  promises  of  toleration  and  indulgence 
to  tender  consciences  was  entirely  eluded  or  broken. 
About  tw’o  thousand  of  the  clergy,  in  one  day,  relin- 
quished their  cures,  and  sacrificed  their  interest  to 
their  principles. 

Before  the  parliament  rose,  the  court  was  employed 
in  preparing  for  the  reception  of  the  princess  Cathe- 
rine of  Portugal,  to  whom  the  king  was  betrothed, 
ond  with  whom  he  received  five  hundred  thousand 
pounds,  and  the  two  fortresses  of  Tangier  in  Africa, 
and  Bombay  in  the  East  Indies,  by  way  of  dowry 
This  marriage,  however,  was  far  from  proving  auspi- 
cious, as  the  queen  was  never  able  to  win  the  affec- 
tions of  her  husband. 

Charles,  pressed  by  pecuniary  difficulties,  in  order 
to  raise  money,  as  well  as  to  save  expenses,  sold  Dun- 
kirk to  France,  for  four  hundred  thousand  pounds.  To 
this  measure  he  was  advised  by  Clarendon.  The 
value  of  this  acquisition  was  so  little  understood  by 
I . vol.  11.  6 


E2 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND, 


the  I renfii  king,  that  he  thought  he  had  made  a hard 
bargain. 

Charles  issued  a declaration,  under  pretence  of 
mitigating  the  rigours  contained  in  the  act  of  uniform- 
ity ; but  the  foundation  of  this  measure  was  of  a v«>ry 
different  nature.  The  king,  during  bis  exile,  had  im- 
bibed strong  prejudices  in  favour  of  the  catholic  reli- 
gion 5 and  though  he  fluctuated  during  his  whole  reign, 
between  irreligion,  which  he  more  openly  professed, 
and  popery,  to  which  he  retained  a strong  propensity, 
his  brother  the  duke  of  York  had  entered  with  zeal 
into  all  the  principles  of  that  theological  party,  and 
by  his  application  to  business,  which  Charles  disliked, 
had  acquired  a great  ascendency  over  him.  On  pre- 
tence of  easing  the  protestant  dissenters,  they  agreed 
upon  a plan  for  introducing  a general  toleration,  and 
giving  the  catholics  the  free  exercise  of  their  religion, 
at  least  in  private  houses.  The  parliament,  however, 
refused  their  concurrence  in  this  measure  ; and,  in 
Iff  SI  orc^er  to  deprive  the  catholics  of  all  hopes,  the 
' -*  two  houses  agreed,  in  a remonstrance  against 
them.  The  king  insisted  no  farther  at  present  on  this 
project  of  indulgence  5 and  he  issued  a vague  procla- 
mation against  jesuits  and  Romish  priests.  In  return 
for  this  the  commons  voted  him  a supply  of  four  sub- 
sidies ; and  this  was  the  last  time  that  taxes  were  lev- 
ied in  that  manner. 

In  proportion  as  the  king  found  himself  established 
on  the  throne,  he  began  to  alienate  himself  from  Cla- 
rendon, whose  character  was  so  little  suited  to  his 
own.  Charles's  partiality  for  the  catholics  was  always 
opposed  by  this  minister,  who,  conscious  of  integrity 
and  of  faithful  services,  disdained  to  enter  into  any 
connexion  with  the  royal  mistresses. 

The  irregular  pleasures  of  Charles,  and  the  little 
regard  he  paid  to  decency  in  his  public  mistresses, 
could  not  but  give  offence  to  the  nation.  It  was  found 
that  the  virtues  which  he  possessed  were  more  showy 
than  substantial ; that  his  bounty  proceeded  rather 
from  facility  of  disposition  than  generosity  ; that  while 
he  seemed  affable  to  all,  his  heart  was  little  suscepti- 
ble of  friendship ; and  that  he  secretly  entertained  a 
bad  opinion  of  mankind,  no  proof  that  he  was  actuated 
by  better  motives.  But  what  was  most  injurious  to 


CHARLES  II. 


83 


hie  king’s  reputation,  was  the  neglect  of  his  own  and 
his  father’s  adherents,  whom  he  suffered  to  remain  in 
poverty  and  distress,  aggravated  by  the  cruel  disap- 
pointment of  their  sanguine  hopes,  and  by  seeing  fa- 
vour and  preferment  bestowed  on  their  most  invete- 
rate foes.  The  act  of  indemnity  and  oblivion  was 
generally  denominated,  and  in  many  cases  too  justly, 
an  act  of  indemnity  to  the  king’s  enemies,  and  of  ob- 
livion to  his  friends. 

The  king  having  demanded  a repeal  of  the  triennial 
act,  the  parliament  abrogated  the  law,  and  satisfied 
themselves  with  a general  clause,  that  parliaments 
should  not  be  inaugurated  above  three  years  at  most. 
The  commons  likewise  passed  a vote  that  the  indigni- 
ties offered  to  the  English,  by  the  subjects  of  the 
United  States,  were  the  greatest  obstructions  to  all 
foreign  trade.  This  was  the  first  open  step  towards  a 
war  with  the  Dutch.  Charles  did  not  confine  himself 
to  memorials  and  remonstrances.  Sir  Robert  Holmes 
was  secretly  despatched  with  a squadron  of  twenty- 
two  ships  to  the  coast  of  Africa,  where  he  expelled 
the  Dutch  from  cape  Corse,  and  seized  their  settle- 
ments at  cape  Verde  and  in  the  isle  of  Goree.  He 
then  sailed  to  America,  where  he  possessed  himself 
of  Nova  B^'^ic.  since  called  Ncw-York,  which  James 
the  First  nad  granted  by  patent  to  the  earl  of  Stirling, 
but  which  had  never  been  planted  except  by  the 
Hollanders. 

When  the  States  complained  of  these  hostile  meas- 
ures, the  king  pretended  to  be  ignorant  of  Holmes’s 
enterprise  3 and  the  Dutch,  finding  their  applications 
for  redress  likely  to  be  eluded,  despatched  de  Ruyter 
with  a fleet  to  retaliate  on  the  English.  De  Ruyter 
i CC 11  11161  no  opposition  in  Guinea.  All  the 

■*  new  acquisitions  of  the  English,  except  cape 
Corse,  were  recovered  from  them  3 and  they  were  al- 
so dispossessed  of  some  old  settlements. 

The  Dutch,  however,  tried  every  expedient  before 
they  would  proceed  to  extremities  3 and  their  meas- 
ures were  at  that  time  directed  by  John  de  Witt,  a 
minister  equally  eminent  for  ability  and  integrity.  He 
caused  a navy  to  be  equipped,  surpassing  any  that  had 
ever  before  been  prepared  in  the  ports  of  Holland. 

As  soon  as  the  intelligence  arrived  of  de  Ruyter’s 


u 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


'•Ff'il  entBrPr*ses>  Charles  declared  war  against  tha 
k * -*  States.  The  English  fleet  consisted  of  one 
hundred  and  fourteen  sail,  besides  fire-ships  and 
ketches,  and  was  commanded  by  the  duke  of  York, 
and  under  him  by  prince  Rupert,  and  the  Earl  of 
Sandwich.  Obdam,  the  Dutch  admiral,  had  nearly  ail 
equal  force,  and  on  meeting  he  declined  not  the  com- 
bat. In  the  heat  of  action,  when  engaged  in  close 
fight  with  the  duke  of  York,  Obdam's  ship  blew  up. 
This  accident  disconcerted  the  Dutch,  v ho  fled  to- 
wards their  own  coast.  Tromp  alone,  son  of  the  fa- 
mous admiral  killed  in  the  former  war,  bravely  sus- 
tained with  his  squadron  tne  efforts  of  the  EngHsh, 
and  protected  the  rear  of  his  countrymen.  The  van- 
quished had  nineteen  ships  sunk  or  taken  j the  vic- 
tors lost  only  one.  In  this  action,  the  duke  of  York 
behaved  with  great  bravery  5 the  Earl  of  Falmouth, 
lord  Muskerry,  and  Mr.  Boyle,  were  killed  by  one 
shot,  at  his  side,  and  covered  him  with  their  brains 
and  gore. 

The  abilities  of  de  Witt  were  employed  in  reviving 
the  declining  courage  of  his  countrymen  5 and  he 
soon  remedied  all  the  disorders  occasioned  by  the  late 
misfortune.  The  king  of  France,  who  was  engaged 
in  a defensive  alliance  with  the  States,  resolved  to 
support  the  Dutch  in  this  unequal  contest. 

The  English,  however,  experienced  a more  dread- 
ful calamity  than  even  that  of  a war.  The  plague  had 
broken  out  in  London,  and  carried  off  ninety  thousand 
persons  5 and  the  king  was  obliged  to  summon  a par- 
liament at  Oxford. 

The  king  of  France  had  ordered  his  admiral,  the 
duke  of  Beaufort,  to  proceed  from  Toulon,  and  sup- 
port his  allies  ; and  the  French  squadron,  consisting 
of  above  forty  sail,  was  now  supposed  to  be  entering 
the  channel.  The  Dutch  fleet,  under  the  command 
of  De  Ruyter,  to  the  number  of  seventy-six  sail, 


1066] 


was  at  sea,  in  order  to  join  the  French.  The 


duke  of  Albemarle  and  prince  Rupert  commanded  the 
English  fleet,  which  did  not  exceed  seventy-four  sail. 
Albemarle,  who  despised  the  enemy  too  much,  des- 
patched prince  Rupert  with  twenty  ships  to  oppose 
the  duke  of  Beaufort ; and  with  the  remainder,  he  set 
tail  to  give  battle  to  the  Dutch,  Never  did  a more 


CHARLES  II. 


85 


memorable  engagement  take  place:  whether  we  com 
Eider  its  long  duration,  or  the  desperate  courage  with 
which  it  was  fought. 

On  the  first  day  the  wind  blew  so  hard  that  the  Eng- 
fish  could  not  use  their  lower  tier  of  guns,  and  their 
sails  and  rigging  were  injured  by  the  Dutch  chain-shot, 
a new  invention  ascribed  to  de  Wift  3 but  the  battle 
was  contested  till  darkness  parted  the  combatants. 
On  the  second  day,  during  the  action,  sixteen  fresh 
ships  joined  the  Dutch  fleet,  while  the  English  had 
not  more  than  twenty-eight  in  a situation  for  fighting 
This  obliged  Albemarle  to  retreat  towards  the  English 
coast,  which  he  did  with  an  undaunted  countenance, 
protesting  to  the  earl  of  Ossory,  son  to  the  duke  of 
Ormond,  that  he  would  rather  blow  up  his  ship  and 
perish  than  stike  to  the  enemy.  The  Dutch  had  come 
up  with  the  English,  and  were  about  to  renew  the  en- 
gagement, when  the  squadron  of  prince  Rupert  was 
descried,  crowding  all  their  sail  to  reach  the  scene 
of  action.  Next  morning  the  battle  began  afresh, 
and  continued  with  great  violence  till  suspended  by 
a mist.  The  English  retired  first  into  their  own  har- 
bours. 

De  Ruyter  now  posted  himself  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Thames  3 but  the  English,  under  prince  Rupert  and 
Albemarle,  were  not  long  in  coming  to  attack  him. 
This  engagement  was  again  fierce  and  obstinate,  and 
three  Dutch  admirals  fell  3 but  De  Ruyter  maintained 
the  combat,  and  kept  his  station,  till  darkness  put  aii 
end  to  the  contest.  Next  day,  finding  the  Dutch  fleet 
scattered,  he  was  obliged  to  submit  to  a retreat,  which 
yet  he  conducted  with  so  much  skill  as  to  render  it 
equally  honourable  to  himself  as  the  greatest  victory. 
Full  of  indignation,  however,  at  yielding  the  superior- 
ity to  the  English,  he  frequently  exclaimed,  “My 
God  ! what  a wretch  I am  ! among  so  many  thousand 
bullets,  is  there  not  one  to  put  an  end  to  my.  misera- 
ble life  V’  The  Dutch,  by  the  greatest  exertions,  saved 
themselves  in  their  harbours  3 and  the  English  now 
rode  incontestable  masters  of  the  sea. 

A calamity,  however,  happened  in  London,  which 
occasioned  the  greatest  consternation.  A most  dread- 
ful lire  broke  out  in  the  city,  and  spreading  in  spite  of 
every  endeavour  to  check  its  destructive  progiess 


86  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

consumed  about  four  hundred  streets  and  thirteen 
thousand  houses.  During  three  days  and  nights  tht»  j 

fire  continued  to  advance  ; and  it  was  at  last  extin- 
guished only  by  the  blowing  up  of  houses  Popular 
prejudice  ascribed  this  calamity  to  the  catholics  ; and 
though  no  proof  ever  appeared  to  authorize  such  a ca- 
lumny, it  is  sanctioned  by  the  inscription  on  the  mon- 
ument, which  records  the  conflagration. 

As  the  Dutch  were  every  day  becoming  more  formi- 
dable, Charles  began  to  be  sensible,  that  ail  the  ends 
for  which  the  war  had  been  undertaken  were  likeiy  to 
prove  abortive.  This  induced  him  to  make  the  first 
advances  towards  an  accommodation,  and  matters  were 
in  a state  of  forwardness,  when  the  king,  by  impru- 
dently discontinuing  his  preparations,  exposed  Eng- 
land to  a great  affront  and  even  to  great  danger. 

The  penetrating  mind  of  De  Witt  discovered  the  op- 
portunity for  retrieving  the  honour  of  the  States  ; and 
he  embraced  it.  The  Dutch  fleet  under  De  Ruyter, 
appeared  in  the  Thames,  and  bursting  the  chain  which 
had  been  drawn  across  the  Medway,  advanced  as  far 
as  Upnore  castle,  and  burnt  several  ships.  They  next 
sailed  to  Portsmouth  and  PV  mouth,  and  insulted  Har- 
wich. The  whole  coast  was  in  alarm  ; and  had  the 
French  joined  the  Dutch  fleet  and  invaded  England, 
the  most  serious  consequences  might  have  ensued. 

The  signing  of  the  treaty  of  Breda,  however,  saved 
England  from  this  danger;  and  the  acquisition  of 
New-York  was  the  principal  advantage  which  the 
English  reaped  from  a war,  in  which  the  national 
character  for  bravery  had  appeared  with  so  much 
lustre. 

To  appease  the  people  for  their  disappointments, 
some  sacrifice  was  necessary;  and  the  prejudices  of 
the  natir  a pointed  out  the  victim.  The  sale  of  Dun-  i 

kirk,  the  disgrace  at  Chatham,  and  the  unsuccessful 
conclusion  of  the  war,  were  all  attributed  to  Claren- 
don. The  king  himself,  who  had  always  revered 
rather  than  loved  the  chancellor,  was  glad  to  be  freed 
from  a minister  who,  amidst  the  dissolute  manners  of 
the  court,  maintained  an  inflexible  dignity,  and  would 
not  suffer  his  master's  licentious  pleasures  to  pass 
without  reprehension.  The  memory  of  his  former 
services  could  not  dela.v  his  fall ; and  the  great  sea/ 


CHARLES  II.  87 

was  taken  from  him,  and  given  to  sir  Orlando  Bridg- 
man. 

The  duke  of  York  in  vain  exerted  his  interest  in  be- 
half of  his  father-in-law.  The  commons  voted  an  im 
peachment  against  him  ; and  Clarendon,  finding  that 
neitlrer  his  innocence  nor  his  past  services  were  suffi- 
cient to  protect  him,  retired  into  France,  where  he 
lived  six  years  after  the  parliament  had  decreed  his 
banishment.  He  employed  his  leisure  chiefly  in  re- 
ducing to  order  the  history  of  the  civil  war,  for  which 
he  had  before  collected  materials,  and  which  is  a per- 
formance that  does  honour  to  his  memory. 

The  king’s  councils,  which  had  always  been  neg 
ligent  and  fluctuating,  now  became  actually 
criminal.’  Men,  in  whose  honour  and  integrity 
the  nation  confided,  were  excluded  from  any  delibera- 
tions ; and  the  whole  secret  of  government  was  in- 
trusted to  five  persons,  Clifford,  Ashley,  Buckingham, 
Arlington,  and  Lauderdale,  called  the  Cabal,  a word 
which  the  initial  letters  of  their  names  happened  to 
compose. 

The  dark  counsels  of  the  cabal,  though  from  the 
first  they  gave  anxiety  to  all  men  of  reflection,  were 
not  sufficiently  known  but  by  the  event.  They  inspir- 
ed the  king  with  a jealousy  of  parliaments,  and  advis- 
ed him  to  recover  that  authority  in  the  nation,  which 
nis  predecessors,  during  so  many  ages,  had  possessed  ; 
and  they  insinuated  to  Charles,  that  it  would  be  for  his 
interest,  to  detach  himself  from  the  triple  alliance, 
not  long  before  concluded  between  England,  Holland 
and  Sweden,  and  form  a close  intimacy  with  France. 
It  was,  however,  by  the  artifices  of  his  sister,  the 
duchess  of  Orleans,  that  the  king  was  prevailed  on  to 
relinquish  the  most  settled  maxims  of  honour  and 
policy,  and  to  finish  his  engagements  with  the  French 
monarch  as  well  for  the  destruction  of  Holland,  as  for 
a subsequent  change  of  religion  in  England. 

About  this  time,  Blood,  a disbanded  officer  of  the 
protector’s,  who  had  been  attainted  for  engaging  in  a 
conspiracy  in  Ireland,  meditated  revenge  on  the  duke 
of  Ormond,  the  lord-lieutenant.  He  seized  the  duke 
in  the  streets  of  London,  but  Ormond  was  saved  by  his 
servants.  Buckingham  was  at  first  suspected  of  being 
the  author  of  this  attempt;  and  the  marquis  of  Ossor 


68 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLANP 


coming  to  court,  and  seeing  Buckingham  near  the 
king,  said  to  him,  “ My  lord,  I know  well  that  you  are 
at  the  bottom  of  the  late  attempt  upon  my  father;  but, 
I give  you  warning,  that  if  by  any  means  he  come  to 
a violent  end,  I shall  consider  you  as  the  assassin,  and 
wherever  I meet  you,  I will  pistol  you,  though  you 
stood  behind  the  king’s  chair  : and  1 tell  you  this  in 
his  majesty’s  presence,  that  you  may  be  sure  I will 
not  fail  in  the  performance.” 

Soon  after,  Blood  formed  the  design  of  carrying  off 
the  crown  and  regalia  from  the  tower,  and  was  very 
near  succeeding  in  this  enterprise.  Being  secured, 
however,  and  examined,  he  refused  to  name  his  ac- 
complices. “The  fear  of  death,”,  he  said,  “shall 
never  force  me  either  to  deny  a guilt,  or  betray  a 
friend.”  The  king  was  moved  by  an  idle  curiosity  to 
see  a person  so  remarkable  for  his  courage  and  his 
crimes.  Blood  now  considered  himself  sure  of  par- 
don ; and  he  told  Charles,  that  he^had  been  engaged 
with  others  to  shoot  him,  but  that  his  heart  had  been 
checked  w ith  the  awe  of  majesty  at  the  moment  of  ex- 
ecution. He  added,  that  his  associates  had  bound 
themselves  by  the  strictest  oaths  to  revenge  the  death 
of  any  one  of  the  confederacy.  Whether  the  king 
was  influenced  by  fear  or  admiration,  he  pardoned  the 
villain,  and  granted  him  an  estate  of  five  hundred 
pounds  a-year  in  Ireland;  while  old  Edwards,  the 
keeper  of  the  jewel-office,  who  had  been  wounded  in 
defending  the  crown  and  regalia,  was  forgotten  and 
neglected. 

Under  pretence  of  maintaining  the  triple  league, 
which  at  that  very  time  he  ‘had  resolved  to  break, 
Charles  obtained  a large  supply  from  the  commons. 
This,  however,  was  soon  exhausted  by  debts  and  ex- 
penses ; and,  as  it  seemed  dangerous  to  venture  on 
levying  money,  without  consent  of  parliament,  the 
king  declared  that  the  staff  of  treasurer  was  ready  for 
any* one  who  could  devise  the  means  of  supplying  his 
present  necessities.  Ashley  dropped  a hint  to  Clif- 
ford, w'hich  the  latter  adopted  and  carried  to  the  king, 
who  granted  him  the  promised  reward,  and  also  a peer 
a^e,  for  what  ought  to  have  brought  him  to  the  gal- 
JL-ws.  This  expedient  was  the  shutting  up  of  the  etr 


CHARLES  II.  89 

chequer,  and  retaining  all  the  payments  which  should 
be  made  into  it.* 

This  breach  of  domestic  honour  was  followed  by 
foreign  transactions  of  a similar  complexion.  On 
the  most  false  and  frivolous  pretexts,  Charles  is- 
sued a declaration  of  war  against  the  Dutch  3 and  this 
was  seconded  by  another  from  Louis  XIV.  To  op- 
pose this  formidable  confederacy,  De  Witt  exerted 
himself  in  the  utmost ; but  his  merits  had  begotten  en- 
vy, and  the  popular  affection  began  to  display  itself  in 
favour  of  William  III.  prince  of  Orange,  then  in  the 
twenty-second  year  of  his  age,  whom  De  Witt  himself 
had  instructed  in  all  the  principles  of  government  and 
sound  policy,  and  who  was  brought  forward  as  his  ri- 
val. 

The  struggle  between  the  two  factions  retarded  ev- 
ery measure.  However,  at  length,  a raw  army  of  sev 
enty  thousand  men  was  raised,  and  the  prince  was  ap« 
ointed  both  general  and  admiral  of  the  common- 
wealth 3 bui.  his  partisans  were  still  unsatisfied,  as 
long  as  the  perpetual  edict  remained  in  force,  by 
which  he  was  excluded  from  the  stadtholderate. 

Devoted  solely  to  the  interests  of  his  country,  De 
Witt  disdained  all  party-spirit,  and  hastened  the  equip- 
ment of  a fleet,  which  put  to  sea  under  the  command 
of  De  Ruyter,  who  was  strongly  attached  to  him.  This 
armament  consisted  of  ninety-one  ships  of  war,  and 
forty-four  fire-ships  3 and  with  these  De  Ruyter  sur 
prised  at  Solebay  the  combined  fleets  of  France  and 
England.  The  earl  of  Sandwich  had  warned  the  duke 

* It  may  he  necessary  to  observe,  that  bankers  used  to  car- 
ry their  money  to  the  exchequer,  and  advance  it  upon  the 
security  of  the  funds,  by  which  they  were  afterwards  reimburs- 
ed, when  the  money  was  levied  on  the  public.  The  bankers, 
by  this  traffic,  got  eight  per  cent,  or  more,  for  sums  which  had 
either  been  assigned  to  them  without  interest,  or  which  they 
had  borrowed  at  six  per  cent.  ; profits  which  they  dearlv 
paid  for,  by  this  egregious  breach  of  public  faith.  The  meas- 
ure v/as  so  suddenly  taken,  that-none  had  warning  of  the  dan- 
ger. A general  confusion  prevailed  in  the  city,  followed  by 
the' ruin  of  many.  Distress  every  where  took  place,  with  a 
•stagnation  of  commerce,  by  which  the  public  was  universallj 
affected  ; and  men,  full  of  the  most  dismal  apprehensions,  were 
at  a loss  to  account  for  such  unprecedented  and  iniquitous 
« ouiisels,  by  which  the  public  credit  was  destroyed  * 


30 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


of  York  of  his  danger,  and  received  only  for  answer, 
that  there  was  more  of  caution  than  of  courage  in  his 
apprehensions;  but  on  the  appearance  of  the  enemy, 
he  alone,  with  his  squadron,  was  prepared  for  action. 
Sandwich  commanded  the  van,  and  rushed  into  battle 
with  the  Duteh.  He  beat  off  one  ship,  and  sunk 
another.  He  also  destroyed  three  fire-ships  which 
endeavoured  to  grapple  with  him  ; and  though  his  own 
vessel  was  torn  almost  in  pieces  with  shot,  and  nearly 
six  hundred  Out  of  a thousand  men  lay  dead  on  the 
deck,  he  still  continued  the  contest.  Another  fire- 
ship, however,  having  laid  hold  of  his  vessel,  her  de- 
struction was  now  inevitable,  and  he  was  advised  by 
his  captain  to  retire;  but  he  preferred  death  to  the 
appearance  of  deserting  his  post. 

During  this  fierce  engagement  with  Sandwich,  Da 
Ruyter  attacked  the  duke  of  York,  who  fought  with 
such  fury  for  above  two  hours,  that  of  thirty-two  ac- 
tions, in  which  the  Dutch  admiral  had  been  engaged, 
he  declared  this  was  the  most  severe.  The  battle 
continued  till  night,  when  the  Dutch  retired,  and  were 
not  followed  by  the  English,  and  the  loss  sustained  on 
both  sides  was  nearly  equal. 

Louis  advanced  with  his  troops  into  Holland,  and 
overran  the  country  almost  without  opposition.  Am- 
sterdam alone  seemed  to  retain  some  courage.  The 
-sluices  were  opened,  and  the  neighbouring  country 
laid  under  water.  All  the  provinces  now  followed  the 
example,  and  scrupled  not,  in  this  extremity,  to  restore 
to  the  sea  those  fertile  fields  which  had  formerly  been 
won  from  it. 

The  combined  potentates,  finding  at  last  some  ap- 
pearance of  opposition,  endeavoured  to  seduce  the 
prince  of  Orange,  who  in  consequence  of  the  murder 
of  De  Witt,  had  obtained  the  whole  ascendancy  in 
public  affairs.  They  offered  him  the  sovereignty  of 
Holland,  and  the  protection  of  England  and  France, 
to  insure  him  as  well  against  foreign  invasion,  as  the 
insurrection  of  his  own  subjects.  All  proposals,  how- 
ever, were  generously  rejected  ; and,  when  Bucking- 
ham urged  the  inevitable  destruction  that  hung  ovei 
the  United  Provinces,  and  asked  him,  whether  he  did 
riot  see  whether  tne'commonwealth  was  ruined,  he  ie- 
\.li  I.  “There  is  one  certain  m«?ans  by  which  I can 


CHARLES  II. 


yi 


be  sure  never  to  see  my  country’s  uin  : I wil.  die  in 
the  last  ditch.77 

In  the  mean  time,  the  other  nations  of  Europe  re- 
garded the  subjection  of  Holland  as  the  forerunner  of 
their  own  slavery.  The  emperor  began  to  put  him- 
self in  motion;  and  Spain  sent  some  forces  to  the  as- 
sistance of  the  states  ; but  the  ally  on  which  the  Dutch 
chiefly  relied  for  support,  was  the  English  parliament, 
which  the  king’s  necessities  at  last  obliged  him  to  as- 
semble. The  parliament,  however,  granted  a supply, 
but  refused  to  express  the  smallest  approbation  of  the 
war;  and  they  afforded  Charles  the  prospect  of  this 
supply,  only  that  they  might  be  allowed  to  proceed  in 
the  redress  of  grievances. 

The  money  granted  by  parliament  served  to  equip 
a fleet  of  which  prince  Rupert  was  declared  admiral ; 
for  the  duke  of  York  w'as  set  aside  by  the  test  act, 
which  passed  during  the  present  session.  Three  dif- 
ferent, but  indecisive  actions,  were  fought  at  sea  ; the 
last  was  the  most  obstinate.  The  victory,  however, 
in  this  battle,  wras  as  doubtful  as  in  all  the  actions 
fought  during  the  present  wai. 

The  parliament  of  England  being  again  assembled, 
discovered  greater  symptoms  of  jealousy  than  before, 
and  remonstrated  against  a marriage  which  the  duke 
of  York,  who  had  for  some  time  been  a widower,  was 
negotiating  with  a catholic  princess,  of  the  house  of 
Modena.  What,  however,  chiefly  alarmed  the  court, 
was  an  attack  on  the  members  of  the  cabal,  to  whose 
pernicious  counsels  the  parliament  imputed  all  their 
grievances.  This  produced  a change  in  the  ministry, 
somewhat  in  favour  of  the  nation  ; but  the  duke  hav- 
ing concluded  the  proposed  match,  and  the  war  with 
Holland  being  more  unpopular  than  ever,  Charles 
found  that  he  could  obtain  no  more  supplies,  while  the 
lf741  Present  measures  were  pursued.  He  resolved, 
-*  therefore,  on  a separate  peace,  which  was  nego- 
tiated under  the  Spanish  ambassador,  and  was  conclud- 
ed on  terms  honourable  to  England,  and  to  the  great 
joy  of  the  people. 

The  war,  however,  still  continued  between  Holland 
and  France,  and  the  events  to  which  it  gave  rise  were 
regarded  by  the  English  people  with  extreme  anxiety. 
Parliament  viewed  with  much  jealousy  the  measurer 


92 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


of  government,  and  the  king’s  secret  attachments  to 
France.  This  jealousy  was  increased  by  a bill  intro- 
. rn—i  duced  into  the  house  of  peers,  by  the  earl  of 
-*  Lindesey,  the  object  of  which  was,  to  oblige 
the  members  of  both  houses,  and  all  who  possessed 
any  office,  to  swear,  that  it  was  unlawful,  on  any  pre 
tence  whatever,  to  take  arms  against  the  king,  and 
that  they  would  no4*at  any  time  endeavour  any  altera 
turn  in  the  established  government,  either  in  church 
or  state.  Great  opposition  was  made  to  this  bill, 
which  was  debated  for  seventeen  days,  and  was  carried 
only  by  two  voices  in  the  house  of  peers.  In  the 
commons  it  was  likely  to  meet  with  still  greater  op- 
position 3 but  a quarrel  arising  between  the  two  hous- 
es, respecting  a breach  of  privilege,  the  king  finding 
that  no  business  could  be  completed  in  consequence 
of  this  altercation,  prorogued  the  parliament. 

At  this  period,  the  king  was  the  undisputed  arbi/er 
of  Europe  ; and  though  he  was  sensible,  that  so  long 
as  the  war  continued  he  should  enjoy  no  tranquillity  at 
home,  he  could  not  bring  himself  to  impose  a peace 
by  openly  joining  either  party. 

The  parliament  again  assembled,  after'an  adjourn- 
ment of  more  than  a year,  and  Charles  made  strong 
professions  of  future  economy,  and  offered  his  con- 
sent to  any  laws  for  the  farther  security  of  reli- 
gion and  property.  At  first  the  commons  pro- 
ceeded with  some  degree  of  temper,  and  granted  the 
sum  of  five  hundred  and  eighty-six  thousand  pounds 
for  building  ships  3 but  hearing  of  the  defeat  of  the 
prince  of  Orange  by  marshal  Luxemburgh,  and  of  the 
capture  of  Valenciennes,  Cambray,  and  St.  Omer,  by 
Louis,  they  addressed  the  king,  representing  the  dan- 
ger to  which  England  was  exposed,  from  the  increas- 
ing greatness  of  France,  and  praying,  that  by  such 
alliances  as  he  should  think  fit  to  enter  into,  he  would 
endeavour  to  secure  both  his  own  dominions  and  the 
Spanish  Netherlands.  Charles,  considering  this  appli- 
cation as  an  attack  on  his  measures,  replied  in  general 
terms,  that  lie  would  use  all  means  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  Flanders,  consistent  with  the  peace  and  safety 
of  his  kingdoms.  This  answer  was  regarded  as  an 
evasion,  or  rather  a denial  3 and  the  commons, Vnstead 
of  granting  a supply,  which  the  king  had  demanded, 


CHARLES  II. 


93 


voted  an  address,  wherein  they  besought  his  majesty 
to  enter  into  a league,  offensive,  and  defensive,  with 
the  states-general  of  the  United  Provinces,  against 
the  growth  and  power  of  the  French  king,  and  for  the 
preservation  of  the  Spanish  Netherlands,  and  to  make 
such  other  alliances  with  the  confederates  as  should 
appear  fit  and  useful  to  that  end.  On  these  conditions 
they  promised  him  effectual  supplies ; but  Charles 
pretended  to  consider  this  address  as  an  encroach- 
ment on  his  prerogative  ; and  after  reproving  the  com- 
mons in  severe  terms,  he  immediately  adjourned  both 
houses. 

Had  not  the  king  been  privately  sold  to  France,  this 
was  the  critical  moment  in  which  he  might  have  pre- 
served the  balance  of  power  in  Europe,  and  regained 
the  confidence  of  his  subjects.  This  opportunity,  how- 
ever, was  neglected ; and  the  conduct  of  Charles  was 
afterwards  justly  regarded  with  jealousy  and  distrust. 
But  in  order  to  allay,  in  some  measure,  the  violent 
discontents  which  prevailed  in  the  nation,  the  king 
encouraged  proposals  of  marriage  from  the  prince  of 
Orange  to  the  princess  Mary,  eldest  daughter  of  the 
duke  of  York,  who  had  no  male  issue,  and  who  was 
consequently  heir-apparent  to  the  throne,  after  her 
father. 

Charles  graciously  received  his  nephew,  the  prince 
of  Orange,  at  Newmarket;  and  the  latter  was  intro- 
duced to  the  princess,  whom  he  found  extremely  ami- 
able both  in  her  person  and  manners.  In  a short  time 
the  marriage  took  place,  and  gave  infinite  satisfaction 
to  ali  parties;  but,  notwithstanding  the  double  tie  by 
which  the  king  was  now  bound  to  consult  the  inter- 
ests of  the  States  General,  nothing  could  detach  him 
from  the  French  alliance  ; and  he  is  said  to  have  re- 
ceived from  Louis  the  sum  of  two  millions  of  livres 
as  the  price  of  prolonging  the  adjournment  of  parlia- 
ment, which,  it  was  feared,  would  have  urged  the  ne- 
cessity of  joining  the  allies  in  a vigorous  prosecution 
of  the  war. 

At  length  after  various  negotiations,  a treaty  of  gen- 
16781  era*  Peace  was  si?ned  at  Nimeguen,  where  a 
■*  congress  had  long  been  held  by  the  ministers 
of  the  different  powers.  By  this  treaty,  France  se 
cured  the  possession  of  Franchecomte,  and  of  sev 
eral  towns  in  the  Netherlands. 


H 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


A strong  spirit  of  indignation  existed  among  ihe 
English  against  their  sovereign,  who  had  acted  a part 
entirely  subservient  to  the  common  enemy,  and  by 
whose  supineness  and  irresolution  Louis  had  been 
enaoled  to  make  such  important  acquisitions.  In  Scot- 
land, too,  religious  differences  ran  high  ; conventicles 
multiplied  in  the  west;  the  clergy  of  the  established 
church  were  insulted  ; and  the  covenanters  even  met 
in  arms  at  their  places  of  worship.  To  repress  the 
rising  spirit  of  presbyterianism,  a new  parliament  had 
been  assembled  at  Edinburgh,  some  years  before  ; arfd 
Lauderdale,  who  had  been  appointed  commissioner, 
had  sufficient  influence  to  get  some  acts  passed  which 
were  favourable  to  the  prerogative;  but  the  severity 
of  his  measures  against  the  covenanters,  raised  up  a 
party  against  him,  of  which  duke  Hamilton  was  the 
head. 

In  fact,  both  the  language  and  the  conduct  of  Charles 
daily  tended  to  increase  the  prejudices  and  suspicions 
of  his  subjects.  Arbitrary  power  and  popery  were 
apprehended  as  the  scope  of  all  his  designs ; and 
while  the  nation  was  in  this  jealous  disposition,  it  is 
no  wonder  that  every  report  against  the  catholics 
should  be  readily  believed. 

One  Kirby,  a chemist,  informed  the  king,  that  ttiere 
was  a design  against  his  life  ; and  that  two  men,  call- 
ed Grove  and  Pickering,  had  engaged  to  shoot  him, 
and  sir  George  Wakeman,  the  queen’s  physician,  to 
poison  him.  This  intelligence,  he  said,  had  been 
communicated  to  him  by  doctor  Tongue,  a restless 
divine,  who,  being  examined,  declared  to  Danby,  the 
treasurer,  that  the  papers  which  contained  information 
of  the  conspiracy  had  been  thrust  under  his  door. 

The  king  concluded  that  the  whole  was  an  impos- 
ture ; and  the  matter  would  probably  have  been  con- 
signed to  oblivion,  had  not  the  duke  of  York,  on  hear- 
ing that  priests  and  jesuits,  and  even  his  own  confes- 
jor,  had  been  implicated  in  the  business,  insisted  that 
a regular  inquiry  should  be  made  by  the  council  into 
the  pretended  conspiracy.  Kirby  and  Tongue  were 
sought  after,  and  were  found  living  in  close  intimacy 
with. Titus  Oates,  who  was  said  to  have  conveyed  the 
first  intelligence  to  Tongue.  This  man,  in  whose 
breast  was  lodged  a secret  involving  the  fate  of  kings 


( ' “ — — . i 


CHARLES  II.  93 

was  allowed  to  remain  in  such  necessity,  that  Kirb} 
supplied  him  with  daily  bread  ; and,  as  he  expected 
more  encouragement  from  the  public,  than  from  the 
king  or  his  ministers,  he  judged  it  proper,  before  lie 
was  presented  to  the  council,  to  give  his  evidence 
before  sir  Edrnundsbury  Godfrey,  an  active  magistrate. 

The  intelligence  of  Oates  tended  to  this  purpose, 
that  the  pope,  having  assumed  tlte  sovereignty  of 
England  and  Ireland,  on  account  of  the  heresy  of  the 
prinoe  and  people,  had  delegated  his  authority  to  the 
Jesuits,  who  had  supplied,  by  commissions,  all  the 
chief  offices,  both  civil  and  military. 

It  would  be  useless  to'enter  into  all  the  details  of 
this  pretended  plot.  Suffice  it  to  observe,  that  Oates 
was  one  of  the  most  infamous  of  mankind;  and  that, 
before  the  council,  he  betrayed  his  impostures  in  such 
a manner,  as  would  have  discredited  the  most  consist- . 
ent  story,  and  the  most  reputable  evidence.  The  plot, 
however,  soon  became  the  source  of  terror  to  the 
people;  and  Danbv,  out  of  opposition  to  the  French 
interest,  encouraged  the  story  ; and  by  his  suggestions, 
one  Coleman,  who  had  been  secretary  to  the  late  duch- 
ess of  York,  and  had  been  implicated  in  this  affair, 
was  ordered  to  be  arrested. 

Among  the  papers  of  Coleman  were  found  several 
passages,  which  contained  very  free  remarks  relative 
to  the  sentiments  and  principles  of  the  king,  and  which 
contributed  to  diffuse  through  the  nation* a panic  on  * 
account  of  the  popish  plot;  and  the  people,  regarding 
the  remarks  of  Coleman  as  a confirmation  of  the  truth  ) 

of  Oates7  story,  confounded  a business  which  had  no 
relation  to  it,  with  the  originally  hatched  conspiracy. 

The  murder  of  sir  Edrnundsbury  Godfrey,  which 
was  never  accounted  for,  completed  the  general  delu- 
sion, and  rendered  the  prejudices  of  the  nation  abso- 
utely  incurable.  While  the  nation  was  in  this  fer- 
ment, the  parliament  assembled  ; and  the  cry  of  the 
plot  was  immediately  echoed  from  one  house  to  the 
other.  A solemn  fast  was  voted ; and  addresses  pass- 
ed for  the  removal  of  popish  recusants  from  Lon- 
don. The  lords  Powis,  Stafford,  Arundel,  Peters,  and 
Bellasis,  were  impeached  for  high-treason  ; and  both 
houses,  after  hearing  the  evidence  of  Oates,  voted, 
u That  the  lords  and  commons  are  of  opinion,  that 


96 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND 


there  hath  been,  and  still  is,  a damnable  and  hellish 
plot,  contrived  and  carried  on  by  the  popish  recusants, 
for  assassinating  the  king,  for  subverting  the  govern- 
ment, and  for  rooting  out  and  destroying  the  protest- 
ant  religion  ” Oates  was  applauded  and  caressed,  and 
encouraged  by  a pension  of  1200  pounds  a year. 

Such  bounty  brought  forth  new  witnesses.  Wil- 
liam Bedloe,  a m5n,  if  possible,  more  infamous  than 
Oates,  appeared  next  on  the  stage.  At  first,  he  gave 
intelligence  only  of  Godfrey’s  murder,  which,  he.said, 
had  been  perpetrated  in  Somerset-house,  where  the 
queen  lived,  by  papists,  some  of  whom  were  servants 
in  her  family.  Nfext  day,  when  examined  before  the 
lords,  he  gave  an  ample  account  of  the  plot)  and  he 
made  his  narrative  agree  as  well  as  he  could  with 
that  of  Oates,  which  had  been  published;  but,  in  or- 
der to  heighten  the  effect,  and  render  himself  more 
acceptable,  he  added  other  circumstances  still  more 
dreadful  and  extraordinary. 

Though  the  king  ridiculed  the  plot,  and  all  who  be- 
lieved it,  yet  he  found  it  necessary  to  adopt  the  popu- 
lar opirrion  before  the  parliament,.  A bill  had  been 
introduced  for  a new  test,  in  which  popery  was  de- 
nominated idolatry;  and  all  members  who  refused 
this  test  were  to  be  excluded  from  both  houses.  The 
duke  of  York,  in  the  most  pathetic  manner,  rnoved, 
that  an  exception  might  be  admitted  in  his  favour; 
and  he  protested,  that  whatever  his  religion  might  be, 
it  should  only  be  a private  thing  between  God  and  his 
own  soul,  and  never  should  appear  in  his  public  con- 
duct. Notwithstanding  this  appeal,  he  prevailed  only 
by  two  voices. 

The  public  ferment  was  increased  by  the  treachery 
of  Montague,  who  had  been  ambassador  at  Paris,  and 
who  had  procured  a seat  in  the  house  of  commons. 
He  laid  before  the  house  a letter  from  the  treasurer 
Danbv,  countersigned  by  the  king,  in  which  appeared 
the  most  palpable  proofs  of  Charles’s  intrigues  with 
the  French  court.  Danby  was  immediately  impeach- 
ed by  the  commons,  but  the  peers  refused  to  commit 
him  ; and  a great  contest  being  likely  to  arise  between 
the  two  houses,  the  king  thought  it  advisable,  first  to 
prorogue,  and  afterwards  to  dissolve  the  parliament. 

The  want  of  money,  however,  compelled  Charles  to 


CHARLES  II. 


97 


16191  summon  a new  parliament  5 but  being  soon 

1 ■*  alarmed  at  their  refractory  disposition,  in  order 
to  appease  his  people  and  the  parliament,  he  desired 
the  duke  of  York  to  withdraw  beyond  sea,  that  no 
farther  suspicion’  of  popish  councils  might  remain. 
The  duke  readily  complied  ; but  first  required  an  or- 
der for  that  purpose  from  the  king,  lest  his  absenting 
himself  should  be  considered  as  a proof  of  fear  oi 
guilt ; and  he  also  desired  that  his  brother  would  sat- 
isfy him,  as  well  as  the  public,  by  declaring  the  ille- 
gitimacy of  the  duke  of  Monmouth. 

This  nobleman  was  a natural  son  of  the  king’s  by 
Lucy  Walters,  and  born  about  ten  years  before  the 
restoration.  He  possessed  all  the  qualities  which 
could  engage  the  affections  of  the  people;  and,  in 
proportion  as  the  duke  of  York  was  the  object  of  ha- 
tred, on  account  of  his  religion,  Monmouth  rose  high- 
er in  the  public  favour.  Some  even  flattered  hi.n  with 
the  hopes  of  succeeding  to  the  crown;  and  the  story 
,>f  a contract  of  marriage  between  the  king  and  his 
mother  was  industriously  spread  abroad,  and  eagerly 
received  by  the  people.  Charles,  however,  to  put  an 
end  to  all  intrigues  of  this  kind,  as  well  as  to  remove 
the  duke  of  York’s  apprehensions,  in  full  council  made 
a declaration  of  Monmouth’s  illegitimacy,  on  which 
York  willingly  complied  with  the  king’s  desiro,  and 
retired  to  Brussels. 

Charles,  however,  could  not  obtain  the  confidence 
of  the  parliament.  The  impeachment  of  Danby  was 
revived,  and  the  king,  in  order  to  screen  his  minister, 
granted  him  a full  pardon  ; but  it  was  pretended  that 
no  pardon  of  the  crown  could  be  pleaded  in  bar  of  an 
impeachment  by  the  commons ; and  so  resolute  was 
parliament  in  support  of  its  pretensions,  that  Danby 
was  committed  a close  prisoner  to  the  Tower. 

It  being  expected  that  a bill  for  excluding  the  duke 
of  York  from  the  throne  would  be  brought  into  parlia- 
ment, Charles  projected  certain  limitations,  by  which 
the  successor,  if  a papist,  would  be  deprived  of  the 
chief  branches  of  royalty.  These  concessions,  how- 
ever, were  rejected  ; and  a bill  was  brought  in  for  the 
absolute  exclusion  of  the  duke  from  the  crown  of  Eng- 
land and  Ireland.  It  was  therein  declared,  that  the 
sovereignty  of  these  kingdoms,  upon  the  king’s  death 

VOL.  II.  7 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


93 

or  resignation,  should  devolve  to  the  person  next  in 
succession  after  the  duke,  and  that  all  w.ho  supportc  d 
his  title  should  be  punished  as  rebels  and  traitors. 
This  important  bill  passed  the  lower  house  by  a ma- 
jority of  79. 

Soon  after,  the  standing  army,  and  the  king’s  guards 
were  voted  by  the  commons  to  be  illegal ; and  that 
bulwark  of  personal  and  national  liberty,  the  habeas 
corpus  act,  which  provided  against  arbitrary  impris- 
onment, was  passed  the  same  session. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  impeachment  of  the  five  pop- 
ish lords,  with  that  of  the  earl  of  Danby,  was  carried 
on  with  great  vigour  ; but  a dispute  arising  between 
the  two  houses,  about  allowing  the  bishops  to  vote  on 
the  trial  of  Dauby,  afforded  the  king  a favourable  pre- 
text for  dissolving  the  parliament. 

This  vigorous  measure  disappointed  the  malcon 
tents  j but  even  the  recess  of  parliament  afforded  no 
interruption  to  the  prosecution  of  the  catholics  accus- 
ed of  the  plot.  Whitbread,  provincial  of  the  jesuits, 
Fenwic,  Gavan,  Turner,  and  Harcourt,  all  of  the  same 
order,  were  condemned  and  executed  on  the  most  in- 
coherent and  doubtful  evidence.  Langhorne,  an  em- 
inent lawyer,  by  whom  all  the  concerns  of  the  jesuits 
were  managed,  was  als.o  convicted  ; and  the  first  check 
which  the  informers  received,  was  on  the  trial  of  sir 
George  Wakeman,  the  queen’s  physician.  The  ac- 
quittal of  Wakeman  was  a great  mortification  to  the 
prosecutors  of  the  plot,  and  fixed  an  indelible  stain 
on  Oates,  Bedloe,  and  their  abettors. 

The  discontents  in  England  excited  the  attention  of 
the  Scottish  covenanters,  who,  regarding  Sharp,  the 
primate,  as  an  apostate  from  their  principles,  and  an 
unrelenting  persecutor,  dragged  him  from  his  coach, 
and  put  him  to  death.  This  atrocious  action  gave  rise 
to  a violent  persecution  against  the  covenanters,  who, 
finding  themselves  deeply  involved  in  guilt,  made 
themselves  masters  of  the  city  of  Glasgow,  dispos- 
sessed the  established  clergy,  and  issued  proclama- 
tions, declaring  that  they  fought  against  the  king’s  su- 
premacy, against  popery  and  prelacy,  and  against  a 
popish  successor. 

The  king,  apprehensive  of  the  consequences  of  this 
insurrection,  despatched  Monmouth  into  Scotland 


CHARLES  II.  99 

with  a small  body  pf  English  cavalry.  That  noble 
man  being  joined  by  the  Scottish  guards,  and  some 
regiments  of  militia,  marched  with  great  celerity 
against  the  enemy,  who  had  taken  post  near  Bothwell 
castle.  Their  army  never  exceeded  eight  thousand 
men  ; and,  being  without  officers  and  experience,  they 
were  speedily  routed,  with  the  loss  of  seven  hundred, 
killed,  and  one  thousand  two  hundred  taken  prison- 
ers. Monmouth  treated  these  with  great  humanity, 
and  an  act  of  indemnity  was  soon  after  passed. 

Charles  falling  ill  at  Windsor,  such  an  affectionate 
regard  was  shown  him,  and  such  consternation  seized 
all  ranks  of  men,  that,  to  use  an  expression  of  sir 
William  Temple's,  the  king’s  death  was  regarded  as 
the  end  of  the  world.  The  duke  of  York  had  been 
privately  sent  for  ; but,  when  he  arrived,  the  king  was 
out  of  danger.  The  journey,  however,  was  attended 
with  important  consequences.  He  prevailed  on  the 
king  to  disgrace  Monmouth  whose  projects  were  now 
known  and  avowed  3 and  he  obtained  leave  himself  to 
"retire  into  Scotland,  on  pretence  of  quieting  the  ar 
prehensions  of  the  English,  but,  in  reality,,  with 
view  of  securing  his  interests  in  that  kingdom. 

From  the  favour  and  encouragement  which  the  par- 
liament had  given  to  informers,  the  nation  had  got  into 
a vein  of  credulity.  One  Dangerficld,  a man  of  the 
most  infamous  character,  was  the  author  or  denouncer 
of  a new  plot,  called  the  meal-tub  plot,  from  the  place 
where  some  papers  relative  to  it  were  found.  The 
bottom  of  this  affair  it  is  difficult,  and  not  material,  to 
discover.  It  only  appears,  that  Dangerfield,  under 
pretence  of  betraying  the  conspiracies  of  the  presby- 
terians,  had  been  countenanced  by  some  catholics  of 
condition,  and  had  even  gained  admission  to  the  duke 
of  York.  Which  side  he  originally  intended  to  cheat 
is  uncertain;  but  finding  the  nation  more  inclined  to 
believe  in  a pc  Msh  than  a presbyterian  plot,  he  fell  in 
with  the  prevailing  humour. 

The  duke  of  Monmouth  returned  without  leave,  and 
making  a triumphant  procession  through  many  parts 
of  the  kingdom,  increased  the  present  ferment.  Great 
endeavours  were  used  to  obtain  the  king’s  consent  for 
the  meeting  of  parliament.  The  crown  was  attacked 
by  tumultuous  petitions.  Wherever  the  court  party 


too 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


prevailed,  addresses  were  framed,  expressing  the  deep* 
est  abhorrence  of  popular  encroachments.  Hence  the 
161,01  nat*on  was  distinguished  into  petitioners  and 
-*  abhorrcrs.  Besides  these  appellations,  which 
were  soon  forgotten,  this  is  the  epoch  of  the  epithets 
Whig  and  Tory,*  which  have  been  bandied  about 
for  nearly  a century  and  a half,  with  little  appropriate 
meaning,  and  frequently  to  the  injury  both  of  individ- 
uals and  the  public. 

After  a long  interval,  the  king  resolved  to  assemble 
the  parliament.;  but  all  the  mollifying  expressions 
which  he  used  in  addressing  that  assembly,  had  no  ef- 
fect on  the  commons,  who  proceeded  in  their  former 
career,  and  seemed  bent  on  renewing  the  bill  for  ex- 
cluding the  duke  of  York  from  the  succession  ; and 
the  friends  of  Monmouth  hoped  that  the  exclusion  of 
that  prince  would  advance  their  patron  to  the  throne. 
In  the  commons,  the  bill  passed  by  a great  majority  ; 
but  in  the  house  of  peers,  where  the  king  expected  to 
oppose  it  with  success,  the  court-party  prevailed,  and 
it  was  rejected  after  a long  and  a violent  debate. 

The  commons  discovered  much  ill-humour  on  this 
disappointment,  and  resumed  the  impeachment  of  the 
catholic  lords  ; and  as  viscount  Stafford,  from  his  age 
and  infirmities,  was  least  able  to  defend  himself,  he 
became  the  first  victim.  He  protested,  that  the  only 
treason  of  which  he  had  ever  been  guilty,  had  been 
entering  into  schemes  for  procuring  a toleration  to  the 
catholics,  at  least  a mitigation  of  the  penal  laws  en- 
acted against  them.  The  populace,  who  had  exulted 
at  his  trial  and  condemnation,  were  melted  into  tears 
at  the  tender  fortitude  which  he  displayed  on  the 
scaffold. 

This  was  the  last  blood  that  was  shed  on  account  of 
the  popish  plot.  The  commons,  however,  still  found 
new  occasions  to  exercise  their  talents  against  the 
court;  and  besides  insisting  on  the  exclusion,  they 
proceeded  to  bring  in  other  bills  of  an  alarming  na- 
ture. The  king,  seeing  no  hopes  of  restoring  the 

* The  court-party  reproached  their  antagonists  with  le- 
sembling  the  fanatical  conventiclers  in  Scotland,  who  had  ob- 
tained the  name  of  whig s ; and  the  country  party  found  a re- 
semblance between  the  courtiers  and  the  popish  banditti  in  Ire- 
land, to  whom  the  appellation  of  lory  was  affixed,  lienee  the 
origin  of  these  two  terms  of  reproach. 


CHARLES  II 


101 


Commons  to  a better  temper,  came  to  the  resolution 
ol  proroguing  them  ; but  the  house  having  got  intelli* 
gence  of  his  design  a short  time  before  it  was  put  in 
execution,  in  the  most  tumultuous  manner  passed 
some  extraordinary  resolutions,  which  were  indirectly 
subversive  of  the  throne. 

Soon  after  this  session  was  closed.  Charles  sum- 
moned a new  parliament,  and,  in  order  to  prevent 
those  tumults,  which  attended  their  assembling  at 
Westminster,  from  the  vicinity  of  a populous  city,  he 
directed  them  to  meet  him  at  Oxford.  Against  this, 
Monmouth  and  fifteen  peers  protested,  on  the  ground 
that  the  two  houses  would  be  there  exposed  to  the 
swords  of  the  papists  and  their  adherents.  These 
insinuations  inflamed  the  people  still  more;  the  lead- 
ers came  to  parliament,  attended  not  only  by  their 
servants,  but  by  numerous  retainers;  and  the  assem- 
bly at  Oxford  resembled  more  a Polish  diet  than  an 
English  parliament.  m 

The  commons  consisted  nearly  of  the  same  mem- 
bers, and  fell  instantly  into  the  same  measures,  the 
impeachment  of  Danby,  the  inquiry  into  the  popish 
plot,  and  the  bill  of  exclusion.  So  violent  were  they 
on  this  last  article,  that  no  expedient,  however  plausi- 
ble, could  be  hearkened  to.  One  of  the  king’s  minis- 
ters proposed,  tha^the  duke  should  be  banished  five 
hundred  miles  from  England,  and  on  the  king’s  de- 
mise, the  next  heir  should  be  constituted  regent  with 
regal  power;  yet  even  this  expedient,  which  would 
have  left  the  duke  of  York  only  the  bare  title  of  king, 
failed  to  satisfy  the  house.  Charles,  seeing  no  proba- 
bility of  a better  temper  in  the  commons,  without 
sacrificing  his  brother,  dissolved  the  parliament;  and 
resolved  to  depend  on  economy  and  retrenchment  for 
alleviating  the  necessities  under  which  he  laboured. 

As  the  king  no  longer  dreaded  the  clamours  of  the 
country  party,  he  permitted  the  duke  of  York  to  pay 
him  a visit.  The  duke  chose  to  take  his  passage  by 
lfiQ2I  sea  3 anc*  t^ie  m wh*ch  he  embarked  struck 
-*  on  a sand-bank,  and  was  lost;  but  he  escaped, 
with  a few  of  his  party,  in  the  barge.  It  is  said,  that 
while  many  persons  of  rank  and  quality  were  drown- 
ing, and,  among  the  rest,  Hyde,  his  brother-in-law,  the 
duke  was  very  clamorous  to  save  the  dogs  and  tl» 
nricst'* 


IQ  2 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Through  the  influence  of  the  crown,  two  sheriffs, 
North  and  Rich,  were  chosen  in  the  city,  on  account 
of  theii  devotion  to  the  court ; but  as  the  contest 
might  be  renewed  every  year,  a project  was  formed  to 
make  the  king  master  at  once,  not  only  of  the  city, 
but  of  all  the  corporations  in  England.  A writ  of  quo 
warranto*  was  issued  against  the  city,  which,  it  was 
pretended,  had  forfeited  all  its  privileges,  on  account 
of  some  irregularities  in  its  proceedings  several  years 
before  ; and  though  the  cause  of  the  city  was  ably 
defended  against  the  attorney  and  solicitor  generals, 
ihe  judges  decided  against  it.  After  sentence  had 
been  pronounced,  the  citizens  petitioned  the  king, 
who  agreed  to  restore  them  their  charter,  but  obliged 
them  to  submit  to  the  following  regulations:  That  no 
mayor,  sheriff,  recorder,  common-sergeant,  town-clerk, 
or  coroner,  should  be  admitted  to  the  exercise  of  his 
office  without  his  majesty’s  approbation  : that  if  the 
tking  disapproved  twice  of  the  mayor  or  sheriffs  elect- 
ed, he  may,  by  commission,  appoint  those  magistrates  ! 
that  the  mayor  and  court  of  aldermen  may,  with  his 
majesty’s  leave,  displace  any  magistrate  : and  that  n<> 
alderman,  in  case  of  a vacancy,  shall  be  elected  with- 
out the  consent  of  the  court  of  aldermen,  who,  if 
they  disapprove  twice  of  the  choice,  may  fill  the  va- 
cancy. 

All  the  corporations  in  England,  from  this  prece- 
dent, saw  how  ineffectual  it  would  be  to  contend  with 
the  court,  and,  therefore,  most  of  them  were  induced 
to  surrender  their  charters  into  the  king’s  hands.  Con- 
siderable sums  were  exacted  for  restoring  the 


1683] 


charters  j and  all  offices  of  power  or  profit,  by 


the  restrictions  introduced,  wrere  now  left  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  crown.  The  conduct  of  Charles  in  these 
proceedings  was  a most  violent  infraction  of  personal 
and  national  liberty,  and  sufficiently  proves  the  arbi- 
trary and  tyrannical  principles  by  which  he  governed. 
Every  friend  to  liberty  must  allow,  that  the  nation, 
whose  constitution  had  been  thus  violated,  was  justi- 
fied in  employing  expedients  for  recovering  the  seca- 
/itv  of  which  it  had  been  so  unjustly  deprived. 

There  was  a party,  who,  even  before  this  last  in- 


* That  is,  an  inquiry  into  the  validity  of  its  charter 


CI-IAIILES  11. 


103 


fquitous  proceeding,  which  laid  the  whole  constitution 
at  the  mercy  of  the  king,  meditated  plans  of  resistance 
to  the  measures  of  the  court.  The  duke  of  Mon- 
mouth, lord  Russel,  and  lord  Gray,  solicited,  not  only 
the  capital,  but  the  nobility  and  gentry  of  several 
counties,  to  rise  in  arms,  and  oppose  the  succession 
of  the  duke.  The  whole  train  was  ready  to  take  fire  j 
but  was  prevented  by  the  caution  of  lord  Russel,  who. 
in  opposition  to  Shaftesbury,  the  prime  mover,  induc- 
ed Monmouth  to  delay  the  enterprise.  Shaftesbury, 
enraged  at  this  delay,  abandoned  all  hopes  of  success, 
and  withdrew  to  Holland,  where  he  died  soon  after, 
little  regretted  by  his  friends,  or  noticed  by  his  ene- 
mies. 

At  last,  a regular  project  of  insurrection  was  formed. 
The  council  consisted  of  Monmouth,  Russel,  Essex, 
Howard,  Algernon  Sidney,  and  John  Hampden,  grand- 
son to  the  great  parliamentary  leader.  These  men  en- 
tered into  an  agreement  with  Argyle  and  the  Scottish 
malcontents,  who  engaged  to  bring  the  covenanters 
into  the  field.  The  conspirators,  however,  differed 
widely  in  their  views.  Sidney  and  Essex  were  for  a 
republic;  Monmouth  entertained  hopes  of  obtaining 
the  crown  for  himself ; and  Russel  and  Hampden  were 
attached  to  the  ancient  constitution,  and  wished  only 
\ redress  of  grievances,  and  the  exclusion  of  the  duke 
of  York.  Howard, swho  was  a man  of  no  principle,  was 
ready  to  espouse  any  party,  to  which  his  interest  might 
lead  him.  But,  discordant  as  they  seemed,  in  their 
characters  and  views,  they  were  all  united  in  a com- 
mon hatred  of  the  heir-apparent. 

While  these  schemes  were  concerting  among  the 
leaders,  an  inferior  order  of  conspirators  held  frequent 
meetings,  and  carried  on  projects  quite  unknown  to 
Monmouth,  and  the  cabal  of  six;  and  the  only  persons 
of  this  confederacy,  who  had  access  to  the  leaders  of 
the  party,  were  Ferguson,  and  colonel  Rumsey,  an  old 
republican  officer.  These  persons  indulged  in  the 
most  criminal  discourse  ; and  proposed  to  assassinate 
Charles  at  a farm  called  the  Rye-house,  which  lay  on 
the  road  to  Newmarket,  whither  the  king  commonly 
went  once  a-year ; but  the  house  in  which  his  majesty 
lived  there  happening  to  take  fire,  obliged  him  tr 
*eave  that  place,  sooner  than  he  intended,  and  thus  tk* 
execution  of  the  design  was  prevented. 


J04 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Among  the  conspirators  was  one  Kciljng,  who,  be- 
ng  under  a criminal  prosecution,  in  order  to  obtain  a 
pardo.n,  betrayed  his  associates  to  secretary  Jenkins. 
Search  being  made  after  the  conspirators,  colonel 
Rumsey,  and  West,  a lawyer,  finding  the  perils  to 
which  they  were  exposed,  surrendered  themselves, 
and  turned  evidence.  Rumsey  made  known  the  meet- 
ings of  the  leaders;  and  orders  were  issued  for  arrest- 
ing the  great  men  engaged  in  the  conspiracy.  Mon- 
mouth absconded;  Russel  was  sent  to  the  Tower; 
Gray  was  arrested,  but  escaped;  and  Howard,  a profli- 
gate man,  being  taken,  in  hopes  of  pardon  and  reward, 
revealed  the  whole  plot.  Essex,  Sidney,  and  Hamp- 
den, were  immediately  apprehended;  and  some  of  the 
inferior  conspirators  being  convicted,  paid  the  forfeit 
of  their  lives. 

The  condemnation  of  these  criminals  was  prepara- 
tory to  the  trial  of  Lord  Russel,  a nobleman  illustrious 
for  his  virtues,  arid  highly  popular,  against  whom 
Rumsey,  Shephard,  and  Howard,  appeared.  It  was 
proved,  that  an  insurrection  had  been  resolved  on,  and 
the  surprisal  of  the  king’s  guards  taken  into  consider 
ation  by  the  prisoner;  but  still,  with  regard  to  law 
there  remained  an  important  difficulty.  By  an  act 
passed  soon  after  the  restoration,  to  consult  on  a re- 
bellion, during  Charles’s  lifetime,  was  declared  trea- 
son ; but  it  was  required,  that  the  prosecution  should 
be  commenced  within  six  months  after  the  crime  had 
been  committed.  The  facts  sworn  to  by  Rumsey  and 
Shephard  were  beyond  the  six  months  required  by 
law;  and  to  the  other  circumstances,  Howard  was  the 
only  evidence,  whereas  by  the  statute  of  Edward  III., 
the  crime  of  treason  must  be  proved  by  two  witnesses. 

R.ussel  perceived  this  irregularity,  and  desired  to 
have  the  point  argued  by  counsel ; but  the  chief-jus- 
tice told  him,  that  this  favour  could  not  be  granted, 
unless  he  previously  confessed  the  facts;  and  the  arti- 
ficial confounding  of  the  two  species  of  treason  was 
the  principal,  though  not  the  only  hardship,  of  which 
this  unfortunate  nobleman  had  reason  to  complain  on 
his  trial.  His  veracity  would  not  allow  him  to  deny 
the  conspiracy  for  an  insurrection  ; but  he  solemnly 
protested,  that  he  had  never  entertained  any  design 
against  the  life  of  the  king.  After  a short  delibera 
lion,  the  jury  brought  him  in  guilty. 


CHARLES  II. 


105 


Applications  were  made  to  the  king  for  a pardon  5 
and  even  money  to  a very  considerable  amount,  was 
offered  to  the  duchess  of  Portsmouth  by  the  earl  ol 
Bedford,  father  to  Russel  5 but  Charles  was  inexora- 
ble. 

Lady  Russel,  daughter  and  heir  of  the  earl  of  South- 
ampton, a woman  of  the  most  exalted  merit,  threw 
herself  at  the  king’s  feet,  and  pleaded  with  many  tears 
the  services  of  her  father  as  an  atonement  for  the  er- 
ror of  her  husband.  Finding  her  supplications  ineffec- 
tual, she  summoned  up  all  the  fortitude  of  her  soul, 
and  even  endeavoured,  by  her  example,  to  strengthen 
the  resolution  of  her  unfortunate  lord.  With  a tender 
and  decent  composure,  they  took  leave  of  each  other 
on  the  day  of  his  execution.  u The  bitterness  of 
death  is  now  past,”  said  he,  as  he  turned  from  her. 
To  the  last  he  maintained  the  same  dignified  compo- 
sure, the  same  good-humoured  equanimity  for  which 
he  had  been  always  distinguished.  He  was  the  most 
popular  among  his  own  party,  and  admired  for  his  vir- 
tues even  by  the  opposite  faction  5 and  his  melancho- 
ly fate  united  every  heart,  sensible  of  humanity,  in  a 
tender  compassion  for  him. 

Algernon  Sidney,  the  apostle  of  liberty,  was  next 
brought  to  trial.  This  gallant  person,  son  to  the  earl 
of  Leicester,  had  been  deeply  implicated  in  the  civil 
wars  ; but  he  opposed  the  usurpation  of  Cromwell 
with  zeal  and  courage  5 and,  after  the  restoration,  he 
chose  voluntary  banishment,  rather  than  submit  to  a 
government  and  family  which  he  abhorred.  At  length, 
he  returned  to  England,  and  applied  for  the  king  s 
pardon,  which  he  obtained. 

Howard  was  again  the  only  witness  against  Sidney  3 
but,  as  the  law  required  twf>,  a strange  expedient  was 
adopted  to  supply  the  deficiency.  In  searching  the 
prisoner’s  closets,  some  discourses  on  government 
were  found,  in  which  he  maintained  principles,  fav- 
ourable indeed  to  liberty,  but  such  as  tiie  most  dutiful 
subjects  have  been  known  to  embrace,  and  which,  ev- 
en if  they  had  been  published,  could  not  have  infring- 
ed any  positive  law.  These  papers,  however  were 
said  to  be  equivalent  to  a second  witness  3 and  the  vi 
olent  and  inhuman  judge  Jefferies  easily  prevailed  on 
a prejudiced  jury  to  give  a verdict  against  Sidney 


106 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


He  complained,  with  great  reason,  of  the  iniquity  of 
the  sentence  ; and  he  died  glorying  in  the  good  old 
cause,’7  in  which  from  his  youth,  he  said,  he  had  en- 
listed himself. 

Howard  was  also  the  sole  witness  against  Hampden, 
who,  therefore,  was  indicted  only  for  a misdemeanor  ; 
and  sentence  being  obtained  against  him,  the  exorbi- 
tant fine  of  forty  thousand  pounds  was  imposed  on 
him. 

On  the  day  that  Russel  was  tried,  Essex,  a man  emi- 
nent for  his  virtues  and  abilities,  was  found  in  the 
Tower  with  his  throat  cut.  Whether  he  committed 
suicide,  or  was  murdered  by  others,  has  never  been 
clearly  ascertained. 

On  the  detection  of  this  conspiracy,  loyal  addresses 
I (^04.-1  arrived  from  all  parts  of  the  kingdom  ; and,  in 
-•  order  to  increase  his  present  popularity,  Charles 
judged  it  proper  to  give  his  niece,  the  lady  Anne,  in 
marriage  to  prince  George',  brother  to  the  king  of 
Denmark  ; but,  though  the  king  had  recovered  his  for- 
mer popularity  in  the  nation,  and  was  enabled  to  gov- 
ern without  a parliament,  it  is  certain  he  was  neither 
happy  nor  satisfied.  The  violent  temper  of  his  broth- 
er gave  him  apprehension  and  uneasiness  ; and,  in  op- 
posing some  of  the  duke’s  hasty  counsels,  he  was 
heard  one  day  to  say,  “ Brother,  I am  too  old  to  gc 
again  on  my  travels  : you  may,  if  you  choose  it.77  It 
was  evident,  that  the  king  meditated  some  change  of 
measures;  and  it  was  believed,  that  he  intended  to 
send  the  duke  of  York  to  Scotland,  to  recal  Monmouth, 
to  assemble  his  parliament,  and  to  dismiss  his  obnox- 
ious ministers  ; but  amidst  these  wise  and  virtuous  de- 
signs, he  vvas  seized  with  an  apoplectic  fit,  and,  after 
languishing  a few  days,  expired  in  the  fifty-fifth  year 
of  his  age,  and  the  twenty-fifth  of  his  reign.  Having 
always  enjoyed  a good  constitution,  his  death  begat 
suspicion  of*poison  ; but  when  all  circumstances  are 
considered,  this  suspicion  appears  without  foundation. 
His  loss,  however,  was  sincerely  lamented  by  hi* 
people,  as  well  on  account  of  their  affection  for  him, 
as  of  their  dread  of  his  successor. 

During  the  few  days  of  the  king’s  illness,  he  show 
ed  a total  indifference  to  the  devotions  and  exhorta- 
tions of  the  clergy  of  the  established  church,  but  re. 


JAMES  II. 


103 

chived  the  sacrament  from  the  hands  of  catholic 
priests;  and  in  his  cabinet  were  found  two  papers, 
which  contained  arguments  in  favour  of  the  Romish 
communion,  and  which  the  duke  of  York  had  the  im- 
prudence immediately  to  publish. 

Charles,  when  considered  as  a companion,  appears 
the  most  amiable  and  engaging  of  men  ; he  had  a ready 
wit,  was  well-bred,  and  good-natured.  When,  how- 
ever, we  view  his  public  character,  he  evidently  sinks 
in  our  estimation.  As  a sovereign,  his  conduct  was 
dangerous  to  his  people,  and  disgraceful  to  himself. 
Negligent  of  the  interests  of  the  nation,  careless  of 
its  glory,  averse  to  its  religion  ; jealous  of  its  liberty, 
lavish  of  its  treasures,  and  sparing  only  of  its  blood, 
he  exposed  it  by  his  measures  to  the  danger  of  a civ- 
il war,  and  even  to  the  ruin  and  ignominy  of  a foreign 
conquest. 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  Reign  of  James  II. 

The  first  act  of  James’s  reign  was  to  assemble  the 
16851  Privy-council>  an(^  declare  his  resolution  to 
maintain  the  established  government  in  church 
and  state  ; but  in  the  first  exercise  of  his  authority, 
he  showed  the  insincerity  of  his  professions.  All  the 
customs,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  excise,  had  been 
settled  by  parliament  on  the  late  king  during  life,  and 
consequently  the  grant  had  expired  ; but  James,  with- 
out regarding  the  laws,  issued  a proclamation,  order- 
ing payment  of  the  customs  and  excise  as  before  ; and 
he  also  went  openly,  and  with  all  the  ensigns  of  digni- 
ty, to  mass.  By  this  imprudence  he  displayed  at  once 
his  arbitrary  disposition,  and  the  bigotry  of  his  princi- 
ples. 

However  little  inclined  James  might  be  to  an  Eng- 
lish parliament,  he  found  it  absolutely  necessary  to 
summon  one  ; but  his  speech  to  that  assembly  was  cal 
culated  rather  to  awaken  their  fears  than  to  work  on 
their  affections.  He  required  them  to  settle  his  rev- 
enue, and  that  during  his  life,  as  had  been  done  to  his 


108 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Drother.  *'  There  is,  indeed,”  added  he,  u one  pops 
lar  argument  against  complying  with  my  demand.  Men 
may  think,  that  by  feeding  me,  from  time  to  time,  with 
such  supplies  as  they  think  convenient,  they  will 
better  secure  frequent  meetings  of  parliament;  but 
as  this  is  the  first  time  I speak  to  you  from  the 
throne,  I must  plainly  tell  you,  that  such  an  expedient 
would  be  very  improper  to  employ  with  me,  and  that 
the  best  way  to  engage  me  to  meet  you  often,  is  al- 
ways to  use  me  well.” 

The  parliament  was  thus  placed  in  a very  critical 
situation,  either  of  opposing  James  at  once,  or  of  com- 
plying with  his  wishes;  and  the  commons  voted  the 
same  revenue  to  his  present  majesty  during  life,  as 
had  been  enjoyed  by  the  late  king.  The  lords  were 
no  less  compliant;  and  they  endeavoured  to  break  in 
pieces  the  remains  of  the  popish  plot.  Oates,  who 
had  been  tried  and  convicted  of  perjury,  was  sentenc- 
ed to  perpetual  imprisonment,  besides  being  publicly 
whipped,  and  five  times  a-year  exposed  in  the  pillory 
The  impudence  of  this  man  still  supported  him,  and 
le  made  solemn  appeals  to  heaven  for  the  truth  of  his 
estimony.* 

The  conviction  of  Oates  was  noticed  by  the  house 
of  peers  ; and  the  popish  lords  Powis,  Arundel,  Bella- 
sis,  and  Tyrone,  together  with  the  earl  of  Danby,  were 
free  1 from  their  impeachment;  but  the  course  of  par- 
liamentary proceedings  was  interrupted  by  the  news 
erf  Monmouth’s  arrival  in  the  west,  with  three  ships 
from  Holland.  Parliament  immediately  passed  a bill 
of  attainder  against  Monmouth,  and  voted,  that  they 
would  adhere  to  James  with  their  lives  and  fortunes  ; 
and  they  granted  the  king  a supply  of  four  hundred 
thmisand  pounds  for  suppressing  the  rebellion. 

The  unfortunate  Monmouth,  pursued  by  the  severity 
of  James,  even  in  his  retirement  on  the  continent,  and 
urged  by  the  impatient  humour  of  Argyle,  who  set  out 
for  Scotland  in  his  cause,  was  driven  contrary  to  his 
judgment  as  well  as  inclination,  to  make  a rash  and 
premature  attempt.  Landing  at  Lyme,  in  Dorset, 
with  scarcely  a hundred  followers,  the  popularity  of 

* On  the  accession  of  king  William,  Oatos  recovered  his  lib- 
erty, and  a pension  of  four  hundred  pounds  a-year  settled  o* 

him. 


JAMES  II. 


109 


nis  name  soon  drew  to  his  standard  above  two  thou- 
sand horse  and  foot.  At  Taunton  he  assumed  the  re- 
gal title  ; and  he  was  proclaimed  king  at  Bridgewater, 
Wells,  and  Frome;  but  he  allowed  the  expectations 
of  the  people  to  languish  without  attempting  any  con- 
siderable undertaking. 

Hearing  that  Argyle  had  been  defeated,  Monmouth 
fell  into  despondency  5 but  his  foliowers  showed  more 
courage,  and  seemed  determined  to  adhere  to  him  in 
every  fortune.  The  negligence  of  Feversham,  the 
royal  general,  invited  Monmouth  to  attack  the  king's 
army  at  Sedgemoor,  where,  after  a combat  of  three 
hours,  the  rebels  gave  way.  About  one  thousand  five 
hundred  fell  in  the  battle  and  pursuit ; and  the  unhap- 
py Monmouth  fled  from  the  field,  above  twenty  miles, 
till  his  horse  sunk  under  him.  He  then  changed 
clothes  with  a peasant,  in  order  to  conceal  himself  ; 
but  at  last,  he  was  found  lying  in  the  bottom  of  a ditch, 
and  covered  with  fearn.  His  body,  depressed  with  fa- 
tigue and  hunger,  and  his  mind,  by  the  memory  of 
past  misfortunes,  and  the  prospect  of  future  ills,  he 
ourst  into  tears  when  seized  by  his  enemies,  and  seem- 
ed still  to  indulge  the  fond  hope  and  the  desire  of  life. 
He  wrote  to  James  in  the  most  submissive  terms,  con 
iuring  him  to  spare  the  issue  of  a brother;  and  the 
king  finding  such  symptoms  of  contrition  and  despon- 
dency in  the  unhappy  prisoner,  admitted  him  into  his 
presence  in  hopes  of  extorting  a discovery  of  his  ac- 
complices , but  Monmouth  would  not  purchase  life, 
however  loved,  at  the  price  of  so  much  infamy.  Find- 
ing all  efforts  vain,  he  prepared  himself  for  death, 
with  a spirit  worthy  of  his  rank  and  character,  and  was 
attended  to  the  scaffold  by  the  tears  of  the  people, 
with  whom  he  had  ever  been  a favourite. 

This  victory,  if  it  had  been  managed  with  prudence, 
would  have  tended  to  confirm  the  power  and  authori- 
ty of  the  king;  but  the  cruelty  with  which  it  was  pros- 
ecuted bv  the  savage  colonel  Kirk,  and  the  infamous 
judge  Jefferies,  hastened  the  ruin  of  James.  Besides 
those  who  were  butchered  by  the  military  command- 
ers, two  hundred  and  fifty-one  victims  are  said  to  have 
been  executed  ; and  all  the  rigours  of  justice,  unabat- 
ed by  any  appearance  of  clemency,  were  fully  display- 
ed by  the  barbarous  Jefferies. 


110  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

I 

In  Scotland,  the  fate  of  Argyle  had  been  decided 
before  that  of  Monmouth.  The  parliament  of  that 
country  acknowledged  the  king's  authority  to  be  ah- 
solute  ; and  with  such  a servile  train,  the  patriotic 
virtues  of  Argyie  coul(J  stand  no  chance  of  obtaining  a 
pardon.  He  was  seized,  and  carried  to  Edinburgh, 
where,  after  enduring  many  indignities,  he  was  pub- 
licly executed. 

Elated  with  this  tide  of  short-lived  prosperity,  James 
began  to  undervalue  the  authority  of  an  English  parlia- 
ment ; and  in  a speech  to  that  assembly,  he  observed, 
that  he  had  employed  many  catholic  officers,  in  whose 
favour  he  had  dispensed  with  the  law,  which  requires 
the  test  to  be  taken  by  every  one  possessed  of  any 
public  office  ; and  he  also  declared,  that,  having  re- 
ceived the  benefit  of  their  service,  he  was  resolved 
neither  to  expose  them  afterwards  to  disgrace,  nor 
himself  to  the  want  of  their  assistance.  The  com- 
mons voted  an  address  to  the  king  against  the  dispens- 
ing power  5 but  this  address  was  ill  received  by 
James,  who  returned  a haughty  reply.  At  their  next 
meeting,  the  commons  proceeded  to  the  considera- 
tion of  a supply,  and  went  so  far  in  their  submissions 
as  to  establish  funds  for  paying  the  sums  voted.  The 
king,  therefore,  had,  in  effect,  obtained  almost  a com- 
plete victory  over  the  lower  house,  which  ceased  to 
be  the  guardian  of  the  liberties  and  property  of  the 
people. 

In  the  upper  house,  however,  Compton,  bishop  of 
London,  in  his  own  name  and  that  of  his  brethren, 
moved  that  a day  should  be  appointed  for  taking  the 
king's  speech  .into  consideration ; and  notwithstand- 
ing the  opposition  of  Jefferies,  the  chancellor,  the 
bishop's  motion  prevailed.  James  was  so  much  irri- 
tated, that  he  proceeded  immediately  to  prorogue,  and 
finding  that  he  could  not  break  the  firmness  of  the 
leading  members,  he  finally  dissolved  the  parliament. 

The  open  declaration  of  James,  to  dispense  with 
the  tests,  had  di.Tused  an  universal  alarm  throughout 
the  nation,  had  alienated  the  church,  and  even  dis- 
gusted the  army.  The  former  horror  against  popery 
was  revived;  and  this  was  further  increased  by  Louis 
XIV.,  having,  about  the  same  time,  revoked  the  edict 
of  Nantes,  in  consequence  of  which  nearly  fifty  thou 


JAMES  II. 


Ill 


sand  refugees  passed  over  into  England ; and,  from 
their  representations,  all  men  dreaded  the  projects 
tvhich  were  supposed  to  be  formed  by  the  king  for 
abolishing  the  protestant  religion. 

Though  J-arnes  had  failed  in  prevailing  on  the  par- 
liament, he  was  successful  in  establishing  his  dispens- 
ing power,  by  a verdict  of  the  judges.  Four  catholic 
16861  ’orc*s  vvere  also  brought  into  the  privy-council  5 
-*  the  king  was  openly  zealous  in  making  con- 
verts; and  men  plainly  saw,  that  the  only  means  of 
acquiring  his  majesty's  confidence,  was  the  sacrifice 
of  their  religion.  Those  who  had  any  regard  to  de- 
cency, any  attachment  to  the  liberties  of  their  coun- 
try, or  to  the  protestant  faith,  now  withdrew  from  the 
ministry,  or  were  dismissed,  and  their  places  were  fill- 
ed witii  renegadoes,  who  squared  their  belief  by  their 
interest. 

All  judicious  persons  of  the  catholic  communion 
easily  foresaw  the  consequences  of  these  violent 
measures ; but  James  was  entirely  governed  by  the 
rash  counsels  of  the  queen,  and  of  his  confessor,  fath  - 
er Peters,  a jesuit  and  privy-counsellor.  The  king 
issued  a proclamation,  suspending  all  the  penal  laws 
in  ecclesiastical  affairs,  and  granting  a general  liberty 
of  conscience  to  all  his  subjects.  In  order  to  facili- 
tate the  reception  of  this  edict  of  toleration,  James 
began  to  paj  court  to  the  dissenters  ; but  his  inten- 
16871  ^ons  were  so  obvious,  that  he  found  it  impossi- 
ble  to  obtain  the  confidence  of  the  nonconform- 
ists ; and  if  the  dissenters  had  been  blinded  by  his 
professions,  the  measures  pursued  in  Scotland,  and 
also  in  Ireland,  were  sufficient  to  discover  the  secret. 

James,  however,  did  not  long  affect  to  conceal  his 
designs.  He  publicly  sent  the  earl  of  Castlemaine 
ambassador-extraordinary  to  Rome,  in  order  to  express 
his  obeisance  to  the  pope,  and  to  bring  about  a recon- 
ciliation with  the  holy  see  ; but  the  pontiff,  rightly 
concluding1  that  a scheme  conducted  with  such  indis- 
cretion could  never  succeed,  treated  the  ambassador 
with  neglect,  and  thought  it  sufficient  to  send  a nuncio 
to  Englan.d,  who  was  solemnly  received  at  Windsor, 
in  opposition  to  an  express  act  of  parliament,  by  which 
it  was  made  treason  to  hold  any  correspondence  with 
the  pope. 


12 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


By  virtue  of  his  prerogative.  James  had  suspended 
/he  penal  laws,  and  dispensed  with  the  test;,  and  he 
would  gladly  have  obtained  the  sanction  of  parliament 
to  these  acts  of  power;  but,  finding  that  impossible, 
he  forebore  to  convene  that  assembly,  and  proceeded 
to  strengthen  the  catholic  party  by  every  expedient. 
The  cnurch  and  the  universities  had  hitherto  been 
shut  against  the  catholics  ; and  though  the  university 
of  Oxford  had  lately  made  a solemn  profession  of  pas- 
sive obedience,  yet  when  the  king  sent  a mandate  for 
appointing  one  P armer,  a convert  to  popery,  president 
or  Magdalen  college,  one  of  the  richest  foundations  in 
Europe,  the  fellows  chose  Dr.  Hough,  a man  whose 
virtue  and  firmness  rendered  him  not  only  proper  for 
the  office,  but  for  the  times.  On  inquiry,  Farmer  was 
found  guilty  of  the  most  scandalous  vices;  and  a new 
mandate  was  issued  in  favour  of  Parker,  lately  created 
bishop  of  Oxford,  a man  also  of  a prostitute  character, 
who  atoned  for  his  vices  by  his  willingness  to  embrace 
the  catnolic  religion  ; but  the  society  representing 
that  by  the  statutes,  Parker  could  not  be  chosen,  the 
president  and  all  the  fellows,  except  two  who  com- 
plied, were  expelled  the  college  ; and  Parker  w as  ap- 
pointed president. 

The  next  measure  of  the  court  rendered  the  breach 
between  the  king  and  the  ecclesiastics  incurable 
James  had  published  a second  declaration  of  indul 
lfP^l  £cnce>  which  he  ordered  to  be  read  in  all  the 
J churches,  immediately  after  divine  service. 
The  clergy  in  general  determined  to  oppose  this  vio- 
lence done  to  their  consciences ; and  Lloyd,  bishop 
of  St.  Asaph;  Ken,  of  Bath  and  Wells;  Turner,  of 
Ely;  Lake,  of  Chichester;  White,  of  P3terborough  , 
and  Trelaw'ney,  of  Bristol,  met  privately  with  the  pri- 
mate, and  drew  up  a petition  to  the  king,  that  he 
would  not  insist  on  their  reading  the  declaration.  For 
this  the  prelates  were  committed  to  the  Tower  ; and 
the  crown  lawyers  were  directed  to  prosecute  them 
for  the  seditious  libel,  which,  it  was  pretended,  they 
had  composed  and  uttered. 

The  bishops,  however,  notwithstanding  the  mach 
mations  of  the  court,  were  acquitted;  and  the 
joy  which  the  intelligence  of  this  event  diffused 
throughout  the  kingdom  is  indescribable.  The  army 


JAMES  11. 


m 

encamped  on  Hounslow-heath  soon  caught  the  coni  i- 
gion  ; and  James,  who  had  that  day  reviewed  the 
troops,  and  was  in  the  general's  tent,  was  surprised  u» 
hear  a general  uprbar  in  the  camp:  inquiring  the 
cause,  he  was  told  by  lord  Feversham,  “ it  was  noth- 
ing but  the  rejoicing  of  the  soldiers  for  the  acquittal 
of  the  bishops."  “ Do  you  call  that  nothing  ?"  re- 
plied he,  “ but  so  much  the  worse  for  them."  Noth- 
ing, however,  could  check  the  main  career  of  James. 
He  struck  out  two  of  the  judges  who  had  appeared  t > 
favour  the  bishops;  and  he  issued  orders  to  prosecute 
all  those  clergymen  who  had  not  read  his  declaration 
and  to  the  honour  of  the  established  church  be  it  re- 
corded, that  only  two  hundred  complied  with  his  edict. 

A few  days  before  the  acquittal  of  the  bishops,  the 
queen  was  delivered  of  a son,  to  the  great  joy  of  the 
king  and  all  zealous  catholics;  but  so  violent  was  the 
animosity  against  the  court,  that  calumny  ascribed  to 
lames  the  design  of  imposing  on  the  world  a supposi- 
/ious  child.  He  was  baptized  by  the  name  of  James, 
and  was  afterwards  known  by  the  title  of  “ the  pre- 
tender." 

The  prince  of  Orange,  who  had  married  the  prin 
cess  Mary  of  England,  eldest  daughter  of  th°  king, 
had  maintained  a very  prudent  conduct:  and  James 
strongly  solicited  the  consent  of  the  prince  to  the  re- 
peal of  the  penal  statutes  and  of  the  test;  but  the 
latter  declared  his  refusal  to  concur  in  these  meas- 
ures, unless  the  same  should  be  sanctioned  by  parlia 
ment.  This  declaration  gave  courage  to  the  protes- 
tants,  while  it  excited  the  indignation  of  James,  who 
prepared  to  make  war  on  the  United  States.  Many 
persons  of  consequence  and  talents,  flying  from  Eng- 
land, offered  their  services  to  William,  and  requested 
his  active  interference. 

The  prince,  after  duly  weighing  the  matter,  and  find- 
ing the  whigs,  the  tories,  the  churchmen,  and  the 
non-conformists,  forgetting  their  animosities,  all  leagu- 
ed in  the  design  of  resisting  their  deluded  sovereign, 
yielded  to  the  very  respectable  and  numerous  appli- 
cations that  had  been  made  to  him  ; and  having  secret- 
ly augmented  the  Dutch  navy,  levied  troops,  and  rais- 
ed considerable  sums  of  money,  he  waited  for  a fa- 

VOL.  II.  g 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


m 

vourable  opportunity  of  embarking  for  England,  whick 
regarded  him  as  its  sole  protector. 

Louis,  who  had  penetrated  the  designs  of  the  prince, 
conveyed  the  intelligence  to  James;  but  the  king 
treated  the  information  with  contempt,  and  refused 
the  assistance  which  the  French  monarch  offered  on 
this  occasion.  At  last,  however,  when  convinced  that 
he  might  soon  expect  a powerful  invasion  from  Hol- 
land, James  opened  his  eyes,  and  found  himself  on  the 
brink  of  a frightful  precipice.  He  now  began  to  re- 
tract those  fatal  measures  which  had  created  him  so 
many  foreign  and  domestic  enemies;  but  when  intel- 
ligence arrived,  that  a great  disaster  had  befallen  the 
Dutch  fleet,  he  recalled,  for  some  time,  the  conces- 
sions which  he  had  made. 

Meanwhile,  a declaration  from  the  prince  of  Orange 
was  dispersed  over  the  kingdom,  and  met  with  univer- 
sal approbation.  All  the  grievances  of  the  nation 
were  there  enumerated ; and  to  redress  these,  the 
prince  said,  that  he  intended  to  come  over  into  Eng- 
land with  an  armed  force. 

After  a prosperous  voyage,  he  landed  his  army  safely 
in  Torbay,  on  the  fifth  day  of  November,  and,  march- 
ing to  Exeter,  caused  his  declaration  to  be  there  pub- 
IfiPRl  Bsned.  By  degress,  all  England  was  in  com- 

° ■*  motion  ; and  every  day  showed  some  effect  of 
that  universal  combination  into  which  the  nation  had 
entered  against  the  measures  of  the  king;  but  the 
most  dangerous  symptom  was  the  disaffection  of  the 
army,  all  the  officers  of  which  seemed  disposed  to 
regard  only  the  interests  of  their  country  and  their 
religion.  Lord  Cornbury  carried  over  three  regi 
ments  to  the  prince  ; and  several  officers  informed 
Feversham,  the  general,  that  they  could  not  in  con- 
science draw  their  swords  against  the  Dutch.  Even 
lord  Churchill,  who  had  been  raised  from  the  rank  of 
a page,  and  owed  his  whole  fortune  to  the  bounty  of 
the  crown,  influenced  by  principle  alone,  deserted  his 
master,  and  carried  with  him  the  duke  of  Grafton,  nat- 
ural son  to  the  late  king. 

James,  however,  received  a still  more  fatal  blow  in 
the  defection  of  George,  prince  of  Denmark,  his  son- 
in-law,  and  his  daughter  Anne,  who  both  joined  the 
prince.  When  intelligence  of  this  reached  the  king 


JAMES  II. 


115 


the  unfortunate  sovereign  burst  into  tears.  11  God 
help  me,”  cried  he,  in  the  extremity  of  his  agony, 
u ray  own  children  have  forsaken  me  !”  His  last  acts 
of  authority  were  to  issue  writs  for  a new  parliament, 
and  to  send  Halifax,  Nottingham,  and  Godolphin,  as 
commissioners,  to  treat  with  the  prince  of  Orange. 
He  even  hearkened  to  imprudent  counsel,  by  which 
he  was  prompted  to  desert  the  throne.  Alarmed  by 
the  general  disaffection,  and  impelled  by  his  own  fears 
and  those  of  others,  James  precipitately  embraced 
the  resolution  of  escaping  into  France  5 and,  having 
previously  sent  off  the  queen  and  the  infant  prince, 
he  himself  disappeared  in  the  night-time,  and  hasten- 
ed to  embark  and  follow  them. 

By  this  rash  act,  the  reins  of  the  government  were 
thrown  up,  and  the  populace  became  masters 3 and 
rising  in  a tumultuous  manner,  they  destroyed  the 
mass-houses,  and  rifled  the  places  in  which  the  catho- 
lics had  lodged  their  most  valuable  effects.  Jefferies, 
the  chancellor,  who  had  disguised  himself,  was  dis- 
covered, and  treated  with  the  greatest  severity,  in 
consequence  of  which  he  died  soon  after.  Feveisham 
no  sooner  heard  of  the  king’s  flight,  than  he  disbanded 
his  troops,  without  either  disarming  or  paying  them. 

In  the  mean  time,  however,  James  had  been  seized 
at  Feversham,  and  obliged  to  return  to  London,  where 
the  populace,  moved  by  compassion,  or  actuated  by 
loyalty,  received  him  with  shouts  and  acclamations 
During  his  abode  at  Whitehall,  little  attention  was 
paid  him  3 and  desiring  permission  to  retire  to  Roch- 
ester, a town  near  the  sea-coast,  his  request  was  im- 
mediately granted.  He  privately  embarked  on  board  a 
frigate  which  waited  for  him,  and  arrived  safely  at 
Ambletouse,  in  Picardy,  whence  he  hastened  to  St. 
Germain’s.  Louis  received  him  with  the  greatest 
generosity  and  respect,  a circumstance  more  honour- 
able to  him  than  his  most  splendid  victories. 

Thus  ended  the  reign  of  James  3 a prince  who  pos- 
sessed many  of  the  qualities  which  form  a good  citi- 
zen, but  whose  bigotry  and  arbitrary  principles  ren 
dercd  him  odious  as  a king  In  domesti  ^ life  his  con- 
duct was  irreproachable  5 and  even  while  he  was  sa- 
crificing every  thing  to  the  advancement  of  popery, 
his  frugality  of  the  public  money  was  remarkable,  and 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


il6 

n is  jealousy  of  the  national  honour  commendable  ; 
Dut  his  invasion  of  the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  peo- 
ple tarnished  every  other  virtue,  and  his  disregard  to 
the  religion  and  constitution  of  his  country  could  not 
be  compensated  by  any  other  qualities.  In  principle, 
he  was  a despot  and  a bigot  ; and  his  abdication  of  the 
throne,  and  consequent  exclusion,  have  proved  the 
happiness  of  this  kingdom. 

Thus  the  prince  of  Orange,  with  little  effusion  of 
blood,  effected  the  deliverance  of  England,  and  de- 
throned a king  possessed  of  a formidable  navy  and  a 
numerous  army.  Still  a more  difficult  task  remained, 
to  obtain  for  himself  that  crown  which  had  fallen  from 
the  head  of  his  father-in-law.  To  claim  it  by  right  of 
conquest  would  have  been  destructive  to  the  princi- 
ples of  liberty,  which  he  professed  to  establish  ; and 
he  wisely  resolved  to  leave  the  settlement  of  this  im-' 
portant  affair  to  the  guidance  and  direction  of  the  na- 
tion. 

In  the  convention  which  was  assembled,  it  was  ev- 
IfiftQI  i^ent  whig  party  chiefly  prevailed,  and 

° J the  commons  sent  up  a vote  to  the  peers,  “ That 
king  James  II.  having  endeavoured  to  subvert  the  con- 
stitution of  the  kingdom,  by  breaking  the  original  con- 
tract between  the  king  and  the  people;  and  having, 
by  the  advice  of  Jesuits  and  other  wicked  persons,  vi- 
olated the  fundamental  laws,  and  withdrawn  himself 
out  of  the  kingdom,  has  abdicated  the  government, 
and  that  the  throne  is  thereby  vacant.”  This  vote, 
when  carried  to  the  upper  house,  met  with  great  op- 
position ; and  the  last  clause,  which  declared  the 
tnrone  vacant,  was  omitted;  but  the  commons  still 
insisted  on  their  original  vote,  and  some  peers  desert- 
ing to  the  whig  interest,  the  whole  was  passed,  and 
received  the  sanction  of  both  houses. 

During  these  debates,  the  prince  had  maintained  a 
respectful  silence  ; but,  at  length,  he  expressed  his 
sentiments  on  the  present  situation  of  affairs.  He  ob- 
served, that  some  insisted  on  appointing  a regent,  and 
that  others  we-e  desirous  of  bestowing  the  crown  on 
the  princess  Mary  alone  ; that  though  he  pretended 
not  to  interfere  in  their  deliberations,  he  thought  it 
incumbent  on  him  to  inform  them  that  he  was  deter- 
mined not  to  be  the  regent  nor  would  he  accept  a 


> 

I 


WILLIAM  AND  MARY.  Ill 

crown  which  depended  on  the  life  or  will  of  another; 
and,  therefore,  if  they  were  inclined  to  either  of  these 
two  plans  of  settlement,  it  would  be  wholly  out  of  his 
power  to  give  them  any  further  assistance. 

The  princess  seconded  the  views  of  her  husband, 
and  the  princess  Anne  agreeing  to  be  postponed  in 
the  succession  to  the  crown,  facilitated  the  public  set- 
tlement. The  principal  parties  being  thus  agreed,  the 
convention  passed  a bill,  settling  the  crown  on  the 
prince  and  princess  of  Orange,  the  sole  administra 
tion  to  remain  in  the  prince  ; the  princess  Anne  to 
succeed  after  the  death  of  the  prince  and  princess  of 
Orange;  and  her  issue  after  those  of  the  princess, 
but  before  those  of  the  prince  by  any  other  wife.  Ta 
this  settlement  the  convention  annexed  a declaration 
of  rights,  in  which  the  powers  of  royal  prerogative 
were  more  narrowly  circumscribed,  and  more  exactly 
defined,  than  at  any  former  period. 

Soon  after,  similar  resolutions  having  been  passed 
by  the  Scottish  convention,  William  and  Mary  were 
proclaimed  in  both  kingdoms. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Reign  of  William  and  Mary. 

The  revolution,  as  it  is  called,  formed  a new  epoch 
in  the  constitution,  which  now  assumed  a different 
aspect ; and  it  may  be  affirmed,  without  any  danger  of 
1T891  exaggeration,  that,  since  that  period,  the  Brit- 
-*  ish  have  enjoyed  a system  of  government  the 
most  perfect  and  the  most  free  that  was  ever  establish- 
ed in  the  world. 

While,  however,  William  and  Mary  were  thus 
peaceably  established  on  the  throne  of  Great  Britain, 
a very  different  scene  presented  itself  in  Ireland.  The 
catholics  in  that  country  saw  with  reluctance  the 
events  which  had  taken  place,  and  testified  their  ad 
hcrence  to  James. 

The  earl  of  Tyrconnel,  the  lord  deputy,  disguised 
his  sentiments,  ana  amused  William  with  false  hopes 
of  submission,  till  James  should  be  nb^e  to  supply 


j 


J18 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


nim  with  reinforcements  from  France;  which  lie  ear- 
nestly  solicited  by  private  messages. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  whigs,  who  were  the  prevail- 
ing party  in  the  state,  determined  that  the  revenue  for 
the  maintenance  of  the  king’s  household,  and  the  sup* 
port  of  his  dignity,  should  be  granted  from  one  year 
to  another  only,  in  order  that  William,  finding  himself 
constantly  dependent  on  parliament,  might  endeav- 
our to  merit  a renewal  of  the  grant  by  a just  and  pop- 
ular government.  The  king,  however,  was  disgusted 
with  these  restraints,  which  he  considered  as  marks 
of  distrust;  and  the  tories  seized  this  occasion  to  fo- 
ment his  jealousy  against  their  adversaries.  William 
recommended  to  parliament  a bill  of  indemnity,  as 
the  most  effectual  means  of  putting  an  end  to  all  con- 
troversies and  distinctions  ; but  this  was  defeated  for 
some  time  by  the  address  of  the  whigs,  who  were  sen- 
sible that  the  bill  would  open  a way  to  the  preferment 
of  the  tories.  The  two  parties,  however,  were  now 
so  equally  balanced  in  parliament,  that  the  bill  for 
restoring  corporations  to  their  ancient  rights  passed 
by  one  vote  only,  with  the  rejection  of  two  clauses 
against  those  who  had  been  concerned  in  the  surren- 
der of  charters. 

The  king  found  himself  so  perplexed  between  two 
factions,  which  he  equally  feared,  that  he  had  resolved 
to  leave  the  government  in  the  queen’s  hands,  and  re- 
tire into  Holland  ; but  he  was  dissuaded  from  this  pur- 
pose by  the  marquis  of  Caeimarthen  and  other  noble- 
men whom  he  consulted  ; and  finding  the  tories  more 
compliant,  he  began  to  gratify  them  at  the  expense  of 
the  whigs.  The  latter  were  foiled  or  out-voted  in 
several  favourite  schemes  ; and  the  earl  of  Shrews- 
bury resented  this  so  highly,  that  he  resigned  his  office 
of  secretary  of  state. 

William  having  who.ly  given  himself  up  to  the  pol- 
itics of  the  tories,  was  soon  gratified  with  the  heredi- 
tary excise  during  life,  and  the  customs  for  four  years. 
The  bill  of  indemnity,  so  earnestly  recommended  by 
the  king,  was  also  passed,  with  the  exception  of  thirty 
persons. 

At  this  period,  the  great  scheme  which  William  had 
projected,  of  a confederacy  against  France,  began  t# 
take  effect.  The  emperor  negotiated  an  alliance 


WILLIAM  AND  MARY. 


119 


offensive  and  defensive,  with  the  States-general ; and 
Spain  and  England  were  invited  to  accede  to  the 
treaty.  William,  who  was  at  the  head  of  this  confed- 
eracy, found  no  difficulty  in  persuading  the  English  to 
undertake  a war  against  their  ancient  rivals  ; and  tho 
commons  unanimously  resolved,  that  in  case  his  majes- 
ty should  think  fit  to  engage  in  hostilities  with  France, 
they  would  enable  him  to  carry  on  the  war  with  vig- 
our. This  was  very  agreeable  to  the  king;  and  war 
was  immediately  declared  against  the  French  monarch. 

Louis  XIV.,  who  had  long  rendered  himself  the  ter- 
ror and  the  scourge  of  Europe,  was  not  dejected  by 
this  confederacy  against  him.  He  supplied  James 
with  a considerable  fleet  for  the  invasion  of  Ireland, 
and  the  ex-prince,  with  about  twelve  hundred  British 
subjects,  and  several  of  the  most  distinguished  French 
officers,  landed  at  Kinsale,  on  the  22d  of  March,  1689. 
The  earl  of  Tyrconnel  had  assembled  an  army  of  thir- 
ty thousand  foot,  and  eight  thousand  horse,  for  the 
service  of  his  master;  and  the  whole  kingdom,  except 
the  city  of  Londonderry,  received  James  with  sub- 
mission. 

Finding  his  affairs  in  England  in  a desperate  state, 
and  that  he  had  been  deceived  by  those  in  whom  he 
had  confided,  William  determined  to  pass  over  into 
that  island  in  person.  A general  engagement  took 
place  on  the  banks  of  the  Boyne,  in  which  the  Irish 
iron  I were  entirely  defeated  ; and  James  retired  to 
J Dublin,  whence  he  fled  a second  time  into 
France  : but  the  hopes  and  the  spirits  of  his  party 
were  not  yet  vanquished. 

A French  fleet  being  discovered  off  Plymouth,  the 
earl  of  Torrington,  the  English  admiral,  reinforced 
with  a Dutch  squadron,  put  to  sea,  in  order  to  inter- 
cept the  enemy,  if  an.  attempt  should  be  mace  to  sail 
up  the  channel.  After  the  hostile  fleets  had  continu- 
ed in  sight  of^each  other  for  five  days,  lord  Torring- 
ton bore  down  upon  the  enemy  off  Beachey  Head  ; and 
an  engagement  ensued,  in  which  ihe  English  were  de- 
feated, with  the  loss  of  two  of  their  own  ships,  and 
of  six  vessels  belonging  to  the  Dutch.  A camp  was 
immediately  formed  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Torbay 
where  the  French  seemed  to  threaten  a descent ; but 
their  fleet,  after  setting  fire  to  the  small  village  of 


120 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Teignmouth,  and  burning  a few  coasting-vessels,  re 
turned  to  Brest. 

The  news  of  the  victory  obtained  by  the  Frencb 
fleet  effaced  all  thoughts  of  submission  on  the  part  of 
the  Irish,  and  an  offer  of  indemnity  from  William,  to 
those  who  would  lay  down  their  arms,  produced  little 
effect.  This,  however,  only  increased  the  misery  of 
that  unhappy  country,  which  suffered  from  both  par- 
ties; but,  at  length,  the  French  forces  embarked  for 
their  own  country  ; and  William,  having  constituted 
the  lord  Sydney  and  Thomas  Coningsby  lords-justices 
of  Ireland,  and  left  the  command  of  the  army  with 
count  de  Solmes  and  baron  de  Ginkle,  returned  to 
England,  with  prince  George  of  Denmark. 

Next  year  the  Irish  rebels  were  entirely  reduced 
16911  an(*  a caP'lu^at*on  was  executed,  extending  to 
J all  the  places  in  that  kingdom  which  had  not 
yet  submitted.  By  it  the  catholics  were  restored  to 
the  same  rights  and  privileges  as  they  had  enjoyed 
under  Charles  II. $ and  twelve  thousand  of  the  deter- 
mined adherents  of  James  were  allowed  to  transport 
themselves  to  France. 

The  conquest  of  Ireland  being  thus  effected,  the 
French  king  resolved  to  invade  England  during  the 
absence  of  William,  who  had  sailed  for  Holland,  in 
order  to  promote  the  measures  of  the  grand  confeder- 
acy. Louis  seemed  warmly  engaged  in  the  interest 
of  James  ; and  the  jacobites*  in  England  were  assur- 
ed, that  their  lawful  sovereign  would  revisit  his  Brit' 
ish  dominions  at  the  head  of  thirty  thousand  men. 

Accordingly,  a considerable  body  of  French  forces 
and  many  fugitive  Irish  and  Scots  assembled,  between 
Cherbourgh  and  La  Hogue,  commanded  by  James  in 
person ; while  a French  fleet,  of  sixty-three  ships  of 
the  line,  under  admiral  Tourville,  was  appointed  to 
convoy  the  troops.  Admiral  Russel,  wuth  a fleet  of 
ninety-nine  ships  of  the  line,  English  and  Dutch,  be 
sides  frigates  and  fire-ships,  set  sail  for  the  coast  of 
France.  On  the  19th  of  May,  1692,  the  hosti’e  fleets 
met  off  La  Hogue  ; and  after  a bloody  contest  of  near- 
ly twelve  hours,  victory  declared  in  favour  of  thf 

* A term  given  to  the  partisans  of  James,  or  the  adherent 
•f  the  ex-family.  A 


WILLIAM  AND  MARY. 


121 


English.  The  French  lost  fifteen  ships  of  the  line  ; 
and  this  defeat  reduced  James  to  the  greatest  de- 
Bpondence,  and  overwhelmed  his  friends  in  England 
with  despair. 

The  war,  however,  was  continued  on  the  continent 
for  some  years,  with  various  success : but  at  last  it 
was  terminated  by  the  treaty  of  Rhyswick,  with 
-1  no  advantage  to  England  beyond  honour  and  in- 
dependence, and  with  the  burden  of  a national  debt 
which  has  since  increased  to  an  enormous  amount. 

The  terrors  of  a standing  army  produced  a genera 
ferment  in  the  nation  : and  the  king  was  extremely 
mortified,  when  the  commons  voted,  that  the  number 
of  standing  forces  should  be  reduced  to  ten  thousand 
The  earl  of  Sunderland,  who  had  advised  the  unpopu 
lar  measure  of  a standing  army,  dreading  the  ven 
geance  of  the  commons,  resigned  his  office. 

William  at  this  time  revolved  in  his  mind  the  set- 
tling of  the  succession  to  the  throne  of  Spain,  which 
would  shortly  be  vacated  by  the  death  of  Charles  II. ; 
and  he,  therefore,  directed  that  sixteen  thousand  men 
should  be  retained  in  the  service.  When  the  new 
parliament  met,  the  commons  were  so  irritated  at  the 
king’s  presuming  to  maintain  a greater  number  of 
troops  than  their  predecessors  had.  voted,  that  they 
passed  a resolution  that  the  army  in  England  and 
Wales  should  be  disbanded  by  a fixed  day,  with  the 
exception  of  seven  thousand  men,  who  were  judged 
sufficient  for  guards  and  garrisons. 

William  was  highly  indignant  at  the  conduct  of  his 
ministers  and  the  parliament*,  but  when  the  bill  was 
ready  for  the  royal  assent,  he  went  to  the  house  of 
peers  ; and  having  sent  for  the  commons,  he  told 
them,  that  though  he  considered  himself  unkindly 
treated,  in  being  deprived  of  his  Dutch  guards,  yet  as 
nothing  could  be  more  fatal  to  the  nation,  than  a dis- 
trust between  him  and  the  parliament.,  he  had  come 
to  pass  the  bill,  according  to  their  desire. 

The  opening  of  a new  parliament  promised  more 
17011  cordiality,  and  the  commons  in  can  address  de- 
-*  sired  his  majesty  to  enter  into  such  negotia- 
tions with  the  States-General,  and  other  potentates,  a? 
might  most  effectually  conduce  tr  the  mutual  safety 
of  Great  Britain  and  the  United  Provinces,  as  wei! 


122  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

as  to  the  preservation  of  the  peace  of  Europe.  They 
also  settled  the  succession,  in  case  the  princess  Anne 
should  die  without  issue,  on  Sophia  of  Hanover,  and 
her  heirs,  being  protestants. 

The  treaty  of  partition,  however,  into  which  Wil- 
liam had  entered  with  the  court  of  France,  for  the  di- 
vision of  the  Spanish  dominions,  on  the  death  of  the 
reigning  sovereign,  gave  great  offence.  Among  the 
competitors  for  that  crown,  the  dauphin,  who  had  mar- 
ried the  king  of  Spain's  daughter,  was  to  be  allowed 
to  possess  the  greatest  part  of  Italy  ; and  other  allot- 
ments were  made,  which  tended  to  lessen  the  danger 
of  one  person  succeeding  to  too  extensive  dominions. 
In  order  to  frustrate  the  objects  of  the  confederacy, 
the  king  of  Spain  by  will  nominated  the  duke  of  An- 
jou, second  son  of  the  dauphin,  heir  to  all  his  domin- 
ions j by  which  means  he  detached  the  French-  mon- 
arch from  the  union  he  had  formed. 

The  parliament,  in  order  to  evince  their  resent- 
ment at  the  clandestine  treaty  of  partition,  ordered  an 
impeachment  of  lord  Somers,  the  earl  of  Orford,  and 
the  earl  of  Halifax,  but  the  commons  not  appearing  to 
prosecute,  the  three  lords  were  acquitted  ; and  Wil- 
liam, encouraged  by  a petition  from  the  county  of 
Kent,  and  the  general  voice  of  the  people,  entered 
into  a league  with  the  emperor  and  the  States-General, 
the  principal  objects  of  which  were  the  recovery  of 
the  Spanish  Netherlands,  as  a barrier  for  Holland,  and 
of  Milan  for  the  emperor. 

King  James  expired  at  St.  Germain's,  and  was  in- 
terred, at  his  own  request,  in  the  church  of  the  Eng- 
lish Benedictines  in  Paris,  without  any  funeral  solem- 
nity. Before  his  death  he  was  visited  by  the  French 
monarch,  who  declared  that  he  would  acknowledge  his 
son  as  king  of  England.  Accordingly,  when  James 
died,  the  pretended  prince  of  Wales  was  proclaimed 
king  of  England,  and  treated  as  such  at  the  court  of 
Versailles. 

In  his  speech  to  the  parliament,  William  enlarged 
on  this  indignity  offered  to  the  nation  by  the  French 
Aing;  and  explained  the  dangers  to  which  England 
was  exposed  by  that  monarch  placing  his  grandson  on 
the  throne  of  Spain.  In  an  address  to  his  majesty, 
the  commons  voted  that  no  peace  should  be  conclu 


WILLIAM  AND  MARY. 


12S 


ded  with  France,  till  reparation  should  be  made  to  the 
king  and  nation,  for  owning  and  declaring  the  pretend 
ed  prince  of  Wales,  king  of  England,  Scotland  and 
Ireland.  They  also  voted  a large  supply ; and  they 
agreed,  that  the  proportion  of  the  land  forces,  to  act 
in  conjunction  with  the  allies,  should  be  forty  thou- 
sand men,  and  that  forty  thousand  seamen  should  be 
employed  for  the  service  of  the  ensuing  year. 

The  health  of  William  had  been  declining  for  some 
time;  but  he  endeavoured  to  conceal  the  inroads 
which  he  felt  were  making  in  his  constitution,  in  or- 
der that  the  allies  might  not  be  discouraged  from  en- 
gaging in  a confederacy  of  whioh  he  was  considered 
the  chief.  In  riding  to  Hampton  court  from  Kensing- 
ton, his  collar-bone  was  broken  by  a fall  from  his 
170*1  k°rse  j and  this  hastened  his  dissolution.  He 
expired  on  the  eighth  day  of  March,  of  a fever 
and  asthma,  in  the  thirteenth  year  of  his  reign.  His 
amiable  consort,  Mary,  had  fallen  a victim  to  the 
small-pox  a few  years  before. 

William  III.  was  in  his  person  small  and  slender. 
He  had  an  aquiline  nose,  a large  forehead,  and  a grave 
aspect.  His  genius  was  penetrating,  and  his  judg- 
ment sound;  but  in  his  manners  he  was  distant,  and 
better  qualified  to  gain  respect  than  love.  He  was 
religious,  temperate,  just,  and  sincere.  England,  in 
some  respects,  gained  very  much  by  the  revolution, 
while  in  others,  it  was  a severe  sufferer.  The  system 
of  borrowing  money  on  remote  funds,  which  began 
in  this  reign,  has  been  attended  with  the  most  perni- 
cious consequences  ; and  a standing  army,  which  was 
first  sanctioned  by  parliament  in  the  time  of  Wil- 
liam, now  seems  interwoven  with  the  constitution  ; 
but  when  we  consider  the  noble  stand  which  William 
made  for  the  freedom  of  Europe,  against  the  ambi- 
tious projects  and  dangerous  influence  of  France,  we 
must  acknowledge,  that  he  possessed  qualities  of  the 
first  order,  which  entitle  him  to  the  applause  and  re- 
spect of  mankind. 

In  1694,  the  bank  of  England,  and  the  salt  and 
■tamp-otfices,  wero  established. 


124  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Reign  of  Queen  Anne  : 

Anne,  princess  of  Denmark,  the  eldest  surviving 
17023  daughter  of  James  the  Second,  ascended  the 
* throne  on  the  death  of  William,  with  the  gen- 
eral satisfaction  of  all  parties.  She  was  now  in  the 
thirty-eighth  year  of  her  age,  and  by  her  husband, 
George,  prince  of  Denmark,  had  a numerous  offspring, 
all  of  which  died  in  infancy,  except  the  duke  of  Glou- 
cester, who,  after  giving  promises  of  future  worth, 
was  seized  with  a malignant  fever,  which  put  an  end 
to  his  existence  in  the  eleventh  year  of  his  age. 

Anne  had  received  great  mortifications  in  the  late 
reign  ; but  she  conducted  herself  with  so  much  dis- 
cretion, that  little  or  no  pretence  for  censure  or  re 
sentment  could  be  alleged.  The  facility  of  her  dis 
position,  however,  rendered  her  the  dupe  of  interested 
and  artful  dependents  ; and  it  was  owing  to  this,  that 
a serious  misunderstanding  had  taken  place  between 
her  and  the  late  king  and  queen,  which  continued  till 
the  death  of  the  latter.  Anne  had  been  taught  to 
consider  the  tories  as  friends  of  the  monarchy,  and 
the  true  sons  of  the  church  ; and  they  had  always 
professed  an  inviolable  attachment  to  her  person  and 
interest. 

The  death  of  William  excited  the  greatest  conster- 
nation throughout  Holland  j but  the  anxiety  of  the 
States-General  was  relieved,  by  the  arrival  of  the  earl 
of  Marlborough,  who  assured  them  that  her  majesty 
would  adhere  to  all  the  stipulations  which  had  been 
entered  into  by  the  late  king. 

In  her  first  speech  to  parliament,  Anne  made  the 
most  conciliatory  declarations  of  her  views  and  prin 
ciples;  and  in  return,  they  settled  on  her,  during  life, 
the  same  revenue  as  had  been  enjoyed  by  the  late 
king.  When  the  bill,  received  the  royal  assent,  the 
queen  assured  them,  that  one  hundred  thousand  pounds 
of  this  revenue  should  be  applied  to  the  public  service 
of  the  year. 

When  the  subject  of  the  intended  war  was  debated 
in  the  queen’s  privy-counsel,  the  earl  of  Rochester, 
maternal  uncle  to  the  queen,  proposed  that  the  ring 


ANNE. 


»ish  should  act  only  as  auxiliaries,  and  that  the  chief 
Durden  of  the  war  should  be  borne  by  the  continental 
allies,  who  had  most  to  fear  from  the  power  of  France; 
but  the  earl  of  Marlborough  observed,  that  France 
could  never  be  reduced  within  due  limits  unless  the 
English  entered  as  principals  in  the  quarrel.  The 
opinion  of  Marlborough  prevailed  ; and  he  was  also  ap- 
pointed captain-general  of  her  majesty's  forces,  to  be 
employed  in  conjunction  with  the  troops  of  the  allies. 

The  Dutch  too,  to  whom  the  earl  had  been  sent 
ambassador-extraordinary,  gave  him  the  same  appoint- 
ment over  their  forces  ; and  the  allies  having  promis- 
ed to  furnish  their  quotas  of  troops,  every  thing  was 
concerted  for  commencing  the  war,  the  avowed  ob- 
ject of  which,  as  far  as  concerned  England,  was  to  put 
the  house  of  Austria  in  possession  of  the  throne  of 
Spain,  and  to  procure  a barrier  for  the  Dutch  in  the 
Netherlands. 

Marlborough,  at  the  head  of  sixty  thousand  men, 
17021  took  the  field  in  the  month  of  July,  and  obliged 
-*  the  duke  of  Burgundy,  who  commanded  the 
French  army,  to  retire  before  the  allied  troops,  and  to 
leave  Spanish  Guelderland  exposed.  The  town  and 
castle  of  Werk  surrendered;  Venlo  capitulated  ; and 
Ruremonde  was  reduced  after  an  obstinate  defence. 
Boufflers,  whom  Burgundy  had  left  in  the  commaand, 
confounded  at  the  rapidity  of  Marlborough's  success, 
retired  towards  Liege  ; but,  at  the  approach  of  the 
confederates,  he  directed  his  march  towards  Brabant ; 
and  Marlborough  took  that  city  by  assault,  in  which 
the  allies  found  considerable  public  booty. 

Meanwhile,  the  combined  fleets  of  England  and 
Holland,  under  the  command  of  sir  George  Rooke, 
after  an  unsuccessful  attack  on  Cadiz,  captured  the 
Spanish  galleons  at  Vigo,  with  riches  to  the  amount 
of  seven  million  pieces  of  eight. 

Marlborough,  who  arrived  in  England  about  the  lat- 
ter end  of  November,  received  the  thanks  of  the  house 
of  commons  for  his  great  and  signal  services,  which 
were  so  acceptable  to  the  queen,  that  she  created  him 
a duke,  and  complimented  him  with  a grant  of  five 
thousand  pounds  per  annum  out  of  the  post-office 
About  the  same  time,  the  pariiamcnt  settled  the  year- 
ly sum  of  one  hundred  thousand  pounds  on  George 


126  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

prince  of  Denmark,  the  queen's  consort,  in  case  he 
should  survive  her. 

In  the  next  campaign,  the  duke  of  Marlborough,  be- 
17031  Una^*e  to  provoxe  marshal  Villeroy  to  haz- 
J ard  a battle,  was  obliged  to  content  himself 
with  the  capture  of  Bonne,  Huy,  I imburgh,  and  Guel- 
dres.  The  duke  was  restricted  in  his  enterprises 
by  the  deputies  of  the  States-Gcneral,  who  began  to 
be  influenced  by  the  intrigues  of  the  Louvestein  fac- 
tion. 

In  the  beginning  of  next  year,  the  duke  of  Marlbo- 
17011  roilah  assembl'd  his  army  at  Maestricht ; and 
-*  having  concer  ted  the  plan  of  operations  with 
the  States,  he  crossed  the  Rhine  at  Coblentz.  After 
effecting  a junction  with  prince  Eugene  and  the  im- 
perialists, the  allied  army,  on  the  second  day  of  July, 
attacked  the  Bavarians  in  their  intrenchments  at  Don- 
avert ; and,  after  an  obstinate  resistance,  succeeded 
in  defeating  the  enemy,  who  left  six  thousand  men 
dead  on  the  field  of  battle. 

The  elector  of  Bavaria,  being  joined  by  marshal 
Tallard,  crossed  the  Danube.  The  duke  of  Marlbo- 
rough and  prince  Eugene  found  the  enemy  advanta- 
geously posted  upon  a hill  near  Hochstndt,  their  right 
being  covered  by  the  Danube  and  the  village  of  Blen- 
heim, their  left  by  the  village  of  Lutzingem,  and  their 
front  by  a rivulet,  the  banks  of  which  were  steep,  and 
the  bottom  marshy.  Notwithstanding  these  difficul- 
ties, the  generals  resolved  to  attack  the  French  and 
Bavarians,  whose  army  amounted  to  sixty  thousand 
men.  Marshal  Tallard  commanded  on  the  right,  and 
threw  twenty-seven  battalions,  with  twelve  squad- 
rons, into  the  village  of  Blenheim,  where  he  supposed 
the  allies  would  make  their  chief  effort ; their  left 
was  conducted  by  the  elector  of  Bavaria,  assisted  by 
Marsin,  a French  general  of  experience. 

The  duke  of  Marlborough,  taking  advantage  of  the 
injudicious  arrangement  of  his  opponent,  ordered  the 
villages  to  be  attacked  bv  his  infantry,  -and  with  his 
horse  in  person  fell  on  the  French  cavalry,  command- 
ed by  marshal  Tallard.  After  several  charges,  the 
French  horse  were  totally  subdued,  and  driven  into 
the  Danube,  where  most  of  them  perished  ; and  ten 
battalions  of  foot  were  at  the  same  time  charged  on 


ANNE.  1 21 

all  sides,  and  cut  to  pieces  The  elector  of  Bavaria 
made  a resolute  defence  against  prince  Eugene,  but,  at 
length,  was  obliged  to  give  way.  The  confederates 
being  now  masters  of  the  field,  surrounded  the  village 
of  Blenheim;  and  the  twenty-seven  battalions  and 
twelve  squadrons,  despairing  of  forcing  their  way 
through  the  allies,  surrendered  themselves  prisoners 
of  war. 

Never  was  a victory  more  complete.  Ten  thousand 
French  and  Bavarians  were  left  dead  on  the  field  of 
battle  ; the  greater  part  of  thirty  squadrons  of  horse 
perished  in  the  Danube  ; and  thirteen  thousand  were 
made  prisoners  ; and  the  enemy  lost  their  camp  equip- 
age,  baggage,  and  artillery.  Marshal  Tallard  was  ta- 
ken prisoner.  The  allies  concluded  the  campaign, 
with  the  capture  of  Landau  and  Trierbach. 

Sir  George  Rooke,  who  had  been  sent  with  a squad- 
ron to  Barcelona,  made  a sudden  and  successful  at- 
tack on  Gibraltar,  and  took  possession  of  that  impor- 
lant  fortress,  which  has  ever  since  belonged  to  Eng- 
land. 

In  the  campaign  of  1705,  the  object  of  the  duke  of 
Marlborough  was  to  penetrate  to  France  by  the  Mo- 
selle ; but  his  operations  were  ill-seconded  by  prince 
Louis  of  Baden,  who  was  suspected  of  treachery,  or 
who  was  actuated  by  envy  of  the  duke's  military  rep- 
utation. in  the  mean  time,  the  French  invested  and 
took  Huy,  and  besieged  Liege;  but  Marlborough  re- 
turning into  the  Netherlands,  retook  Huy,  and  obliged 
the  French  to  abandon  their  enterprise  against  Liege. 
The  English  general,  inflamed  with  a desire  of  achiev- 
ing some  action  of  importance,  attacked  the  enemy  in 
their  lines,  defeated  the  Bavarian  cavalry  with  great 
slaughter,  and  obliged  the  infantry  also  to  give  way. 

Meanwhile,  an  English  fleet,  with  five  thousand 
troops,  under  the  command  of  the  earl  of  Peterbo- 
rough and  sir  Cloudesley  Shovel,  being  joined  by  a 
Dutch  squadron  at  Lisuon,  and  reinforced  by  a body 
of  horse  from  the  earl  of  Galway’s  army  in  Portugal, 
having  taken  the  archduke  Charles  on  board,  directed 
its  course  to  Catalonia.  The  troops  were  disembark- 
ed at  Barcelona,  and  Charles  landed  amidst  the  accla- 
mations of  a countless  multitude,  who  threw  them- 
selves at  his  feet,  exclaiming,  £t  Long  live  the  king  |;r 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


m 

Barcelona  was  compelled  to  capitulate  ; and  the  whole 
province  of  Catalonia  declared  for  Charles,  who  now 
assumed  the  title  of  king  of  Spain,  and  took  up  his 
winter  quarters  in  the  heart  of  that  country. 

Villeroy,  having  received  orders  to  act  on  the  offen- 
17061  s*ve>  Passe^  ^e  Doyle,  advanced  to  Tirlemont, 
•*  and  from  thence  to  Ramilies,  where  he  met  the 
united  army  of  the  allies.  Both  sides  prepared  for 
•battle.  The  duke  of  Marlborough  ordered  lieuten- 
ant-general Schultz,  with  twelve  battalions,  and  twen- 
ty pieces  of  cannon,  to  attack  the  village  of  Ramiiies, 
which  was  strongly  fortified  with  artillery. 

The  main  body  of  the  enemy  was  speedily  driven 
from  the  field  ; and  the  confederates  obtained  a com- 
plete victory.  About  eight  thousand  French  and  Ba- 
varians were  killed  or  wounded;  and  the  allies  cap- 
tured the  enemy’s  baggage  and  artillery,  about  one 
hundred  and  twenty  colours  or  standards,  six  hundred 
officers,  and  six  thousand  private  soldiers. 

The  entire  conquest  of  Brabant,  and  almost  all 
Spanish  Flanders,  was  the  immediate  result  of  the 
battle  of  Ramilies.  Louvaine,. Mechlin,  Brussels,  Ant- 
werp, Ghent,  and  Bruges,  submitted  without  resis- 
tance ; Ostend  was  obliged  to  capitulate  ; and  the  cap- 
tures of  Menin,  Dendermonde,  and  Aeth,  speedily  fol- 
lowed. 

In  Spain,  the  French  were  also  unsuccessful  : and 
king  Philip  was  obliged  to  raise  the  siege  of  Barcelo- 
na. The  earl  of  Galway,  advancing  into  Estremadura, 
took  Alcantara,  and  marched  to  Madrid,  which  the 
English  and  Portuguese  entered  without  resistance. 

In  Italy,  the  French  were  defeated  by  prince  Eu- 
gene, at  Turin,  and  the  duke  of  Savoy  entered  his 
capital  in  triumph.  The  duke  of  Orleans  retreated  in- 
to Dauphine  ; while  the  French  garrisons  were  expel- 
led from  every  place  they  occupied  in  Piedmont  and 
Italy,  with  the  exception  of  Cremona,  Valenza,  and 
the  castle  of  Milan,  which  were  blockaded  by  the 
confederates.  • 

In  return  for  the  great  services  which  he  had  ren- 
dered his  country,  the  commons,  in  an  address,  be- 
sought her  majesty  to  consider  the  means  by  which 
the  memory  of  the  duke  of  Marlborough’s  noble  ac- 
tions might  De  perpetuated.  The  queen  informed 


ANNE. 


129 


them  by  a message,  that  she  intended  to  grant  to  the 
duke,  and  his  heirs,  the  interest  of  the  crown  in  the 
honour  and  manor  of  Woodstock  and  the  hundred  of 
Wootton  ; and  she  desired  the  assistance  of  the  house, 
in  clearing  from  incumbrance  the  lieutenancy  and 
rangership  of  the  park,  with  the  rents  and  profits  of 
the  manor  and  hundred,  which  had  already  been  alien 
ated  for  two  lives.  Accordingly,  a bill  was  brought 
in  and  passed,  enabling  the  queen  to  bestow  the  afore 
said  honour  and  manor  on  the  duke  of  Marlborough 
and  his  heirs  ; and  her  majesty  was  desired  to  advance 
the  money  for  clearing  the  incumbrances.  The  queen 
not  only  complied  with  this  address,  but  likewise  or 
dered  the  comptroller  of  her  works  to  build  on  Wood 
stock-park,  the  magnificent  palace  or  castle  of  Blen- 
heim, as  a monument  of  the  signal  victory  obtained 
by  the  duke  of  Marlborough  near  the  village  of  that 
name. 

Previously  to  this,  the  queen,  with  the  concurrence 
of  parliament,  had  alienated  that  branch  of  the  reve- 
nue which  arose  from  the  first-fruits  and  tenths  paid 
by  the  clergy,  and  vested  it  in  trustees  for  the  aug- 
mentation of  small  livings.  At  the  same  time,  the 
statute  of  mortmain  was  repealed,  so  far  as  to  allow 
all  persons  to  bestow  by  will,  or  grant  by  deed,  what 
they  should  think  fit  for  the  increase  of  benefices. 

The  union  between  England  and  Scotland,  which 
was  effected  about  this  time,  was  an  event  more  glori- 
ous and  beneficial  than  the  most  splendid  success  of 
the  British  arms.  This  measure,  however,  imperi- 
ously urged  by  wisdom,  was  violently  opposed  by  pop- 
ular prejudice  in  Scotland ; but,  at  length,  the  two 
kingdoms  were  united  under  one  legislature,  and  one 
17071  governrnent)  and  the  union,  though  unpromising 
-*  in  its  origin,  has  been  productive  of  happiness 
and  prosperity vto  both  kingdoms. 

In  the  mean  time,  Louis,  whose  pride  had  been 
greatly  humbled  by  the  victories  of  the  duke  of  Marl- 
borough, and  tjie  exertions  of  the  English,  offered 
peace  on  the  following  terms : That  Milan,  Naples, 
and  Sicily,  should  be  given  to  the  archduke  ; that  a 
barrier  in  the  Netherlands  should  be  allowed  to  the 
Dutch  5 and  that  the  duke  of  Savoy  should  be  indem- 
nified for  the  ravages  committed  in  his  dominions. 

VOL.  II.  9 


130 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


In  return  for  these  concessions,  he  demanded  the  qui- 
et possession  of  the  throne  of  Spain,  the  Indies  to  hia 
grandson,  Philip  V.,  and  the  restitution  of  Bavaria  to 
its  native  prince. 

These  offers,  however,  were  rejected,  and  the  char- 
acter of  the  duke  of  Marlborough  was  at  this  time  so 
high  in  the  nation,  that  both  houses  of  parliament  re- 
newed their  thanks  to  him,  passed  a bill  to  perpetuate 
his  titles  in  the  female  as  well  as  in  the  male  line,  and 
readily  voted  supplies  for  prosecuting  the  war. 

But,  notwithstanding  all  his  grace’s  abilities  and  in- 
fluence, he  could  not  escape  the  envy  which  too  fre- 
quently attends  on  transcendant  talents  and  uninter- 
rupted success.  Mrs.  Masham,  a distant  relation  of 
the  duchess  of  Marlborough,  who  had,  from  this  con- 
nexion, obtained  the  office  of  woman  of  the  bed-cham- 
ber,succeeded  to  that  ascendancy  over  the  mind  of 
her  sovereign,  which  the  duchess  had  long  maintained. 
This  favourite  was  more  obliging  than  her  benefac- 
tress, who  had  frequently  opposed  the  wishes  of  the 
queen;  and  in  political  intrigues,  she  acted  as  auxiliary 
to  Mr.  Robert  Harley,  who  had  been  appointed  secre 
tary  of  state,  and  who  determined  to  destroy  the  cred- 
it of  the  duke  of  Marlborough  and  the  eari  of  Godol- 
phin.  His  intention  was  to  unite  the  tories  under  his 
own  auspices,  and  expel  the  whigs  from  the  adminis- 
tration ; and,  in  this  scheme,  he  was  assisted  by  Henry 
St.  John,  afterwards  lord  Bolingbroke,  a man  of  ele- 
gant taste  and  an  aspiring  mind,  whose  talents,  how- 
ever, were  rather  specious  than  profound,  and  whose 
principles  were  loose  and  unsettled. 

The  duke  of  Marlborough  and  the  earl  of  Godol- 
phin,  apprized  of  the  secret  intrigues  which  Mr.  Har- 
ley carried  on  with  Mrs.  Masham,  informed  the  queen, 
that  they  cou’.d  serve  her  no  longer,  if  that  minister 
were  continued  in  his  office  of  secretary.  The  queen 
endeavoured  to  appease  their  resentment,  but  in  vain; 
and  she  was  obliged  to  remove  Mr.  Harley  from  hia 
office;  but  her  majesty  was  indignant  at  the  con- 
duct of  the  duk°;  and  the  earl  of  Godolphin,  from 
whom  she  withdrew  her  confidence. 

At  this  period,  the  nation  was  alarmed  with  a 
threatened  invasion  from  France,  in  favour  of  the 
Pretender,  or  the  chevalier  St.  George,  as  he  was 


V 


/ 


ANNE.  131 

called.  The  queen  communicated  to  the  commons  the 
advice  which  she  had  received  of  the  destination  of 
the  French  armament ; and  both  houses  immediately 
joined  in  a loyal  and  affectionate  address  on  this  occa- 
sion : the  habeas  corpus  act  was  suspended  ; the  Pre- 
tender and  his  adherents  were  proclaimed  traitors  and 
rebels;  and  a bill  was  passed,  discharging  the  clans 
of  Scotland,  where  it  was  expected  the  Chevalier 
would  land,  from  all  vassalage  to  those  chiefs  who 
should  arm  against  her  majesty. 

Preparations  for  this  expedition  were  made  at  Dun- 
kirk, where  a fleet  was  assembled  under  count  Four- 
bin,  and  a body  of  land  forces  embarked  ; and  this  ar- 
mament, after  leaving  Dunkirk,  directed  its  course  for 
Scotland.  Sir  George  Byng,  who  had  received  advice 
of  its  departure  from  the  coast  of  France,  pursued  the 
enemy  with  an  English  squadron  so  closely,  that  both 
fleets  arrived  in  the  Frith  of  Forth  almost  at  the  same 
time ; when  the  French  commander,  despairing  of 
success,  and  unwilling  to  try  the  issue  of  a battle, 
took  advantage  of  a land-breeze,  and  sailed  away. 
The  Pretender  desired  to  be  set  on  shore  at  Inver- 
ness ; but  this  being  found  impracticable,  the  Chevalier 
and  his  general  returned  to  Dunkirk. 

The  duke  of  Marlborough,  with  his  usual  success, 
17081  defeated  the  French  near  Oudenarde.  In  this 
-*  battle,  the  French  had  about  three  thousand 
men  killed  in  the  field,  and  seven  thousand  taken 
prisoners.  After  obtaining  this  victory,  the  allies  in- 
vested Lisle,  the  strongest  place  in  Flanders,  and  the 
bulwark  of  the  French  barrier.  Prince  Eugene  com- 
manded, and  the  duke  of  Marlborough  covered  and 
sustained  the  siege.  The  garrison  was  numerous,  and 
was  commanded  by  a marshal  of  France  ; but  nothing 
could  resist  bravery  and  skill  united.  The  enemy 
assembled  all  their  forces,  and  marched  to  the  relief 
of  the  place,  but  were  only  spectators  to  its  fall.  The 
duke  obliged  the  eiector  of  Bawaria,  to  raise  the  siege 
of  Brussels  ; and  retook  Ghent  and  Burges,  which  had 
been  lost  by  treachery. 

On  the  twerty-eighth  of  October  of  this  year,  died 
George  prince  of  Denmark,  a personage  who  possess- 
ed ali  the  amiable  qualities  of  his  consort,  but  who 
was  devoid  of  great  talents  and  ambition.  At  his 


132 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


death,  the  earl  of  Pembroke  was  created  lord-high 
admiral,  the  eirl  of  Wharton  was  promoted  to  the 
government  of  Ireland,  and  lord  Somers  appointed 
president  of  the  council.  Notwithstanding  the  ad- 
vancement of  these  whig  noblemen,  the  duke  of 
Marlborough  continued  to  decline  in  his  credit  with 
tiie  queen,  who  privately  consulted,  and  placed  her 
chief  confidence  in  Mr.  Harley,  though  the  latter 
held  no  ostensible  situation  in  the  administration. 

Meanwhile  the  duke  of  Savoy,  by  making  himself 
master  of  the  important  fortresses  of  Exilles,  La  Pe- 
rouse,  the  valley  of  St.  Martin,  and  Fenestrells,  had 
not  only  secured  a barrier  to  his  own  frontiers,  but 
opened  a way  into  the  French  provinces  on  the  side 
of  Dauphine;  while  the  possession  of  Lisle  exposed 
that  monarchy  on  the  side  of  the  Netherlands. 

During  this  campaign,  major-general  Stanhope,  with 
three  thousand  men,  having  landed  on  the  island  of 
Minorca,  took  fort  St.  Philip  in  three  days  5 and  the 
garrison  of  fort  Fornelies  having  surrendered  them- 
selves prisoners  to  admiral  sir  John  Leake,  the  whole 
island  submitted  to  the  English  government. 

By  this  time  the  pride  of  Louis  was  humbled,  and 
he  once  more  made  proposals  of  peace  to  the  Dutch  ; 
but  the  States  immediately  communicated  his  propo- 
sals  to  the  courts  of  Vienna  and  London  ; and  the 
emperor  appointed  prince  Eugene  of  Savoy,  and  Great 
Britain  the  duke  of  Marlborough,  as  their  respective 
plenipotentiaries.  The  allies,  however,  rendered  in- 
solent by  conquest,  made  demands  which  were  con- 
sidered extravagant  by  the  French  monarch,  who,  gath- 
ering resolution  from  despair,  published  them  and  his 
own  concessions;  and  the  people,  animated  with  the 
desire  of  defending  their  king  and  country,  displayed 
extraordinary  efforts  in  preparing  to  resist  the  tremen- 
dous power  of  the  enemy. 

The  allies  on  their  side,  were  equally  active.  Marl- 
borough and  prince  Eugene  proceeded  to  Flanders ; 
and  the  allied  army  assembled  on  the  plain  of  Lisle, 
to  the  number  of  one  hundred  and  ten  thousand  men. 
Tourney  soon  fell,  and  the  siege  of  Mons  was  formed. 
The  French  army,  amounting  to  one  hundred  and 
170Q1  tvventy  thousand  men,  were  posted  in  the  neigh- 
' bourliood  of  Malplaquet.  In  the  night  of  tho 


ANNE. 


133 


tenth  of  September,  the  two  armies  arrayed  tiem- 
selves  in  order  of  battle  ; and  about  eight  o'clock  the 
next  morning,  one  of  the  most  furious  contests  that 
had  taken  place  in  this  war  commenced.  The  battle 
was  maintained  with  the  most  determined  courage  on 
both  sides.  The"  French  fought  with  an  obstinacy 
bordering  on  despair,  till  seeing  their  lines  forced,  and 
their  general  dangerously  wounded,  they  retreated  in 
good  order,  and  took  post  between  Quesnoy  and  Va- 
lenciennes. The  field  of  battle  was  abandoned  to  the 
confederates,  with  about  forty  colours  and  standards, 
sixteen  pieces  of  artillery,  and  a number  of  prisoners} 
but  it  was  the  dearest  victory  the  allies  had  ever  pur- 
chased. About  twenty  thousand  of  their  best  troops 
were  killed  in  the  engagement,  while  the  enemy  did 
not  lose  half  that  number.  The  battle  of  Malplaquet, 
however,  was  followed  by  the  surrender  of  Mons  ; and 
this  achievement  terminated  the  campaign.  Some 
attempts  at  negotiation  were  again  made  by  Louis; 
but  in  proportion  to  his  concessions,  the  allies  rose  in 
their  demands. 

During  this  campaign  the  military  operations  in 
Spain  and  Portugal  were  unfavourable  to  the  allies. 
The  castle  of  Alicant,  garrisoned  by  two  English  regi- 
ments, had  been  besieged  during  a whole  winter.  At 
length,  the  commander  of  the  besieging  forces  ordei- 
ed  the  rock  on  which  the  castle  was  situated  to  be 
undermined;  and  colonel  Syburgh,  the  governor,  was 
informed,  that  it  was  intended  to  spring  the  mine,  if 
he  did  not  surrender  in  twenty-four  hours.  Syburgh, 
however,  refused  to  comply ; and  the  rock  being  split 
by  the  explosion,  the  colonel  and  several  officers  were 
swallowed  up  in  the  opening,  which  immediately  clos- 
ed upon  them  ; but,  notwithstanding  this  terrible  acci- 
dent, the  garrison  persisted  in  its  defence,  till  the  ar- 
rival of  general  Stanhope,  who  procured  an  honoura- 
ble capitulation. 

Henry  Sacheverell,  a man  of  very  moderate  talents, 
but  of  a busy  and  meddling  disposition,  in  a sermon 
preached  at  St.  Paul's  on  the  fifth  day  of  November, 
took  occasion  to  inveigh  with  bitterness  against  the 
ministry,  the  dissenters,  and  the  low  church  : he  de- 
fended the  doctrine  of  non-resistance,  and  declaring 
religion  to  be  in  danger,  exhorted  the  people  to  stand 


134 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


up  in  defence  of  the  church.  This  sermon  being 
printed,  was  speedily  dispersed  over  the  kingdom  $ 
and  Mr.  Dolben,  son  of  the  late  archbishop  of  York, 
complained  of  it  to  the  house  of  commons,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  Sacheverell  was  taken  into  custody 
and  impeached. 

The 'attention  of  the  whole  kingdom  was  fixed  on 
this  extraordinary  trial,  though  neither  the  man  nor 
his  publication  deserved  any  other  than  silent  con- 
tempt. The  trial  continued  for  three  weeks  5 and  a 
vast  multitude  attended  Sacheverell  every  day  to  and 
from  Westminster-hall,  praying  for  his  deliverance  as 
if  he  had  been  a martyr.  The  queen’s  sedan  was 
surrounded  by  the  populace,  who  exclaimed,  ‘‘God 
bless  your  majesty  and  the  church  j we  hope  your  maj 
esty  is  for  Sacheverell.”  They  abused  and  insulted 
all  who  would  not  join  in  the  cry  of  “ the  church  and 
Sacheverell  3”  destroyed  several  meeting-houses,  and 
plundered  the  dwellings  of  eminent  dissenters. 

Sacheverell  was  found  guilty  by  a majority  of  sev- 
enteen voices  5 he  was  prohibited  from  preaching  for 
the  term  of  three  years  3 and  his  sermon  was  ordered 
to  be  burnt  in  the  presence  of  the  lord-mayor  and  the 
sheriffs  of  London,  before  whom  it  had  been  deliver- 
ed. The  lenity  of  the  sentence,  which  was  in  a great 
measure  owing  to  a dread  of  the  popular  fury,  was 
celebrated  as  a triumph  over  the  whigs. 

The  French  king,  sensible  that  the  misery  of  his 
17101  People  daily  increased  by  the  continuance  of 
the  war,  again  made  overtures  for  peace  ; but 
finding  that  the  allies  would  not  listen  to  reasonable 
or  honouraDle  terms,  and  hoping  that  the  approaching 
change  in  the  English  ministry  might  be  productive 
of  advantage  to  him,  he  resolved  to  await  the  events 
of  another  campaign.  The  duke  of  Marlborough, 
however,  still  continued  his  successes.  He  took  Dcu- 
ay.  Bethune,  Venant,  and  Aire,  which  opened  a free 
passage  into  the  heart  of  France.  On  the  Rhine,  the. 
campaign  produced  no  military  event ; and,  in  Spain, 
both  parties  were  by  turns  conquerors  and  conquered 

In  England,  the  effects  of  those  intrigues  which  bail 
been  formed  against  the  whig  ministers,  began  to  ap- 
pear. The  trial  of  Sacheverell  had  excited  a popular 
spirit  of  aversion  to  those  who  favoured  the  dissent 


ANNE 


I3j 


fra  ; and  the  queen  expressed  her  attachment  t ) the 
tories,  by  mortifying  the  duke  of  Marlborough,  whose 
interest  was  not  sufficient  to  prevent  the  dismission  of 
his  own  son-in-law,  the  earl  of  Sunderland,  from  the 
office  of  secretary  of  state.  Harley  became  sole  min- 
ister, and  was  created  earl  of  Oxford  and  Mortimer. 

The  new  ministry,  however,  had  not  yet  determined 
lo  supersede  Marlborough  in  the  command  of  the  ar- 
my. In  the  next  campaign,  prince  Eugene  acted  in 
Germany,  and  the  duke  of  Marlborough  was  again  op- 
posed by  Marshal  Villars,  who  had  assembled  a nu- 
merous  army,  and  which  he  encamped  in  a 
* ■*  strong  position  behind  the  river  Sanset.  Villars 

boasted,  that  the  French  lines  were  impregnable  ; but 
the  duke  of  Marlborough  entered  these  lines  without 
the  loss  of  a single  soldier;  and  he  afterwards  reduc- 
ed the  strong  town  of  Bouchain  in  the  very  sight  of 
the  French  army,  which  was  superior  to  his  own,  and 
made  the  garrison,  consisting  of  six  thousand  men, 
prisoners  of  war. 

This  was  the  last  memorable  military  service  per- 
formed by  the  duke  of  Marlborough.  The  ministers 
took  every  method  which  envy  and  malice  could  sug- 
gest, to  exasperate  the  nation  against  the  duke,  who 
had  supported  so  nobly  the  glory  of  England,  humbled 
the  pride  and  checked  the  ambition  of  France,  secur- 
ed the  liberty  of  Europe,  and,  as  it  were,  chained  vic- 
tory to  his  chariot-wheels.  Of  Marlborough  it  has 
been  justly  observed,  that  he  never  laid  siege  to  a 
town  which  he  did  not  take,  or  fought  a battle  which 
he  did  not  win.  His  understanding  was  as  injurious 
to  France  as  his  military  abilities ; and  he  was  equally 
famous  in  the  cabinet  as  in  the  field. 

Such,  however,  is  the  violent  conduct  of  faction, 
that  this  consummate  general  and  statesman  was  ridi- 
culed in  public  libels,  and  reviled  in  private  conversa- 
tion. He  was  represented  as  guilty  of  fraud,  avarice, 
and  extortion,  and  traduced  as  the  meanest  of  man- 
kind. Even  his  courage  was  called  in  question  ; and 
he  was  accused  of  insolence,  ambition,  and  miscon- 
duct. When  his  enemies  had  become  ministers  the 
same  parliament,  which  had  so  often  before  voted  him 
thanks  for  the  great  and  important  services  he  had 
performed,  now  determined,  by  a large  majority,  that 


136 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


some  of  his  practices  had  been  unwarrantable  and  ille- 
gal ; and  on  the  strength  of  these  resolutions,  origi- 
nating solely  from  party  motives,  the  queen  dismissed 
him  from  all  his  employments,  and  the  command  was 
given  to  the  duke  of  Ormond. 

By  the  death  of  Joseph,  emperor  of  Germany,  his 
brother,  the  archduke  Charles,  became  possessed  of 
all  the  hereditary  states  of  the  empire  ; and  soon  after 
being  elected  emperor,  the  object  of  the  war  was  cer- 
tainly changed ; for  his  accession  to  the  thrones  of 
both  Germany  and  Spain  would  have  effectually  de- 
stroyed that  balance  of  power,  for  the  maintenance  of 
which  so  much  blood  had  been  spilt. 

A congress  was,  therefore,  appointed  at  Utrecht; 
and,  after  negotiations  had  been  long  carried  on  at 
that  place,  peace  was  signed,  March  31,  1713,  by  all 
the  belligerent  powers,  except  the  emperor.  By  the 
treaty  of  Utrecht,  Spain  and  the  Indies  were  confirm- 
ed to  Philip;  but  the  Netherlands  and  the  Spanish 
dominions  in  Italy  were  separated  from  that  monarchy. 
Naples,  Sardinia,  and  Milan  were  bestowed  on  the 
emperor;  and  Sicily,  with  the  title  of  king,  was  given 
to  the  duke  of  Savoy.  The  Dutch  had  a barrier  assign 
ed  them  against  France  in  the  Netherlands;  while  all 
that  Great  Britain  gained,  after  so  glorious  a war,  and 
so  many  splendid  victories,  was  the  demolition  of 
Dunkirk,  and  the  possession  of  Gibraltar  and  Minorca. 

The  ambition  of  St.  John,  lord  viscount  Boling- 
broke,  would  not  allow  him  to  act  a subordinate  part 
under  Harley,  earl  of  Oxford , and  the  former  had  in- 
sinuated himself  into  the  confidence  of  Mrs.  Masham, 
whom  the  latter. had  displeased.  By  means  of  that 
lady,  Bolingbroke  was  confirmed  in  the  good  opinion 
of  the  queen,  while  Oxford  in  proportion  lost  the  fa- 
vour of  his  sovereign.  The  queen,  harassed  by  dis- 
cordant counsels,  and  perceiving  her  constitution  giv- 
ing way,  was  supposed  by  some  to  form  real  designs 
of  securing  the  succession  to  her  brother;  and  it  was 
strongly  suspected,  that  Bolingbroke  was  attached  to 
the  same  interest,  and  encouraged  her  majesty  with 
the  most  flattering  hopes  of  success. 

After  the  peace  had  received  the  sanction  of  parlia- 
ment, the  two  rivals,  unrestrained  by  the  tie  of  com- 
mon danger,  gave  a loose  to  their  mutual  animosity; 


1 


ANNE. 


137 


and  a very  acrimonious  dialogue  passed,  on  the  27th 
of  July,  between  Mrs.  Masham,  Oxford,  and  Boling- 
broke,  in  the  presence  of  the  queen.  Soon  after,  Ox- 
ford was  deprived  of  his  badge  of  office  ; but  as  no 
provision  had  been  made  for  supplying  his  place,  con 
fusion  and  disorder  ensued  at  court. 

The  fatigue  of  attending  a long  cabinet-council  helc 
on  this  occasion,  and  the  altercation  which  passed 
between  the  ministers  at  the  board,  so  agitated  and  af- 
fected the  queen’s  spirits,  that  she  was  immediately 
seized  with  an  apoplectic  disorder,  which  baffled  all 
the  power  of  medicine.  Her  majesty  continued  in  a 
17141  letharS5c  insensibility,  with  short  intervals,  till 
her  death,  which  took  place  on  the  first  day  of 
August,  in  the  fiftieth  year  of  her  age,  and  the  thir- 
teenth of  her  reign. 

Anne  was  of  the  middle  size,  and  well  proportion- 
ed; her  countenance  was  round,  her  features  regular, 
her  complexion  ruddy,  and  her  hair  a dark  brown.  In 
domestic  life,  she  was  a pattern  of  conjugal  affection, 
and  a tender  mother.  She  wanted,  however,  the  vig- 
our of  mind  requisite  to  preserve  her  independence, 
and  to  free  her  from  the  snares  of  favourites ; but  the 
virtues  of  her  heart  were  never  doubted  ; and  notwith- 
standing the  party  feuds  which  embittered  her  repose, 
and  disturbed  her  reign,  she  was  personally  beloved 
by  her  people.  In  a word,  though  her  abilities  were 
unequal  to  the  high  station  which  she  filled,  and  her 
attachment  to  favourites  was  injurious  to  her  govern- 
ment and  the  nation,  she  was  a humane  and  munifi- 
cent sovereign,  and  well  deserved  the  title,  which  her 
■ubjccts  gave  her,  of  u the  good  queen  Anne.” 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Reign  of  George  1. 

If  providence  had  granted  a longer  life  to  Anne, 
tnd  the  daring  and  ambitious  St.  John  had  continued 
to  influence  her  councils,  there  seems  reason  to  sup- 
pose that  attempts  would  have  been  made  to  restor€ 
the  hereditary  line.  Certain  it  is,  that  the  friends  of 


133 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


the  Pretender  derived  great  hopes  from  the  ministry 
of  Bolingbroke  ; but.  the  sudden  death  of  the  queen, 
by  destroying  the  expectations  of  the  jacobites,  put  an 
end  to  their  present  machinations,  and^thus  removed 
the  fears  and  apprehensions  of  the  whigs. 

Agreeably  to  the  Act  of  Settlement  passed  in  th8 
17141  ieign  of  William,  George  I.,  elector  of  Hano- 
-*  ver.  descended  by  his  mother  from  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  James  I.,  was  proclaimed  king  in  due 
form,  the  very  day  of  the  queen's  death,  and  the  sub- 
mission of  the  three  kingdoms  was  as  universal,  as  if 
no  pretended  claim  existed. 

At  the  time  of  his  ascending  the  throne  of  Great 
• Britain,  George  was  in  the  fifty-fifth  year  of  his  age. 
In  about  six  weeks,  he  landed  at  Greenwich,  where 
he  was  received  by  the  lords  of  the  regency  ; and,  on 
the  twentieth  day  of  October  following,  he  was  croon- 
ed at  Westminster,  with  the  usual  solemnity. 

The  hopes  and  fears  of  both  the  whigs  and  tories 
were  great  at  this  time;  but  the  new  sovereign  had 
been  prepossessed  against  the  latter  ; and  his  majesty 
effected  an  instantaneous  and  total  change  in  all  im- 
portant offices  under  government.  The  duke  of  Or- 
mond was  dismissed  from  his  command,  which  the 
king  restored  to  the  duke  of  Marlborough,  with  seve- 
ral new  appointments  ; the  earl  of  Nottingham  was 
declared  president  of  the  council  ; the  great-seal  was 
given  to  lord  Cowper;  the  privy-seal  to  the  earl  of 
Wharton  ; and  the  vice-royalty  of  Ireland  to  the  earl 
of  Sunderland.  Lord  Townshend  and  Mr.  Stanhope 
were  appointed  secretaries  of  state  ; Mr.  Pulteney  sec- 
retary at  war  ; and  Mr.  Walpole,  who  had  undertaken 
to  manage  the  house  of  commons,  was  made  paymas- 
ter to  the  army.  The  post  of  secretary  for  Scotland 
was  bestowed  on  the  duke  of  Montrose  ; and  the  duke 
of  Argyle  was  appointed  commander  in  chief  of  the 
forces  in  that  country.  Thus  the  whigs  obtained  an 
ascendancy  both  in  and  out  of  parliament. 

Meanwhile,  the  malcontents  in  England  were  con 
siderably  increased  by  the  king's  attachment  to  the 
w.higs  ; and  dangerous  tumults  were  raised  in  differ 
ent  parts  of  the  kingdom.  The  Pretender  took  this 
opportunity  to  transmit  copies  of  a printed  manifesto 
to  various  noblemen  of  the  first  distinction.  In  this 


GEORGE  I 


13  9 


declaration,  he  mentioned  the  good  intentions  of  his 
sister  towards  him,  which  had  been  prevented  by  het 
death;  and  observed,  that  his  people  had  proclaimed 
for  their  king  a foreign  prince,  contrary  to  the  laws  of 
hereditary  right,  which  no  act  could  abrogate. 

When  the  parliament  met,  the  earl  of  Oxford,  the 
duke  of  Ormond,  the  earl  of  Strafford,  and  lord  Boling- 
broke,  were  impeached,  on  account  of  the  parts  which 
they  had  acted  in  regard  to  the  peace  of  Utrecht. 
Bolingbroke  fled  to  the  continent,  and  was  followed 
by  Ormond ; but  though  Oxford,  Prior,  and  some  oth- 
ers, were  taken  into  custody,  they  all  escaped  punish- 
ment. Ormond  and  Bolingbroke,  not  surrendering 
themselves  within  the  time  appointed,  the  house  of 
lords  ordered  their  names  to  be  erased  from  the  list 
of  peers  ; and  inventories  were  taken  of  their  person- 
al estates.  It  is  impossible  to  reflect  on  the  ruin  of 
the  noble  family  of  Ormond,  in  the  person  of  a brave 
and  humane  nobleman,  whose  only  crime  was  obedi- 
ence to  the  commands  of  his  sovereign,  without  feel 
ing  the  greatest  indignation  against  those  who  were 
the  promoters  of  such  iniquitous  proceedings. 

The  spirit  of  discontent  daily  increased  in  England  } 
and  notwithstanding  the  proclamations  against  riots, 
several  tumults  were  raised  in  the  cities  of  London 
and  Westminster.  A trifling  incident  served  to  aug- 
ment the  public  ferment.  The  shirts  allowed  to  the 
first  regiment  of  guards,  commanded  by  the  duke  of 
Marlborough,  were  so  coarse,  that  the  soldiers  could 
scarcely  be  persuaded  to  wear  them.  Some  of  the 
shirts  were  thrown  into  the  garden  of  the  king's  pal- 
ace, and  into  that  which  belonged  to  the  duke  of 
Marlborough  ; and  a detachment,  in  marching  through 
the  city,  produced  them  to  the  people,  exclaiming, 
“ These  are  the  Hanover  shirts." 

Tumults  were  raised  in  Staffordshire,  and  other 
parts  of  the  kingdom  ; and  the  house  of  commons  pre- 
sented an  address  to  the  king,  desiring  that  the  laws 
might  be  executed  with  vigour  against  rioters.  They 
also  passed  a new  act,  by  which  it  was  decreed,  that 
if  any  persons,  to  the  number  of  twelve,  unlawfully, 
assembled,  should  continue  together  one  hour  after 
having  been  required  to  disperse  by  a justice  of  peace 
or  other  officer,  and  had  heard  the  proclamatioc 


140 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


against  riots  read  in  public,  they  should  be  deemec 
guilty  of  felony  without  benefit  of  clergy. 

The  king  having  informed  both  houses  that  a rebel- 
lion had  actually  commenced,  and  that  the  nation  was 
threatened  with  a foreign  invasion,  the  parliament  im 
mediately  passed  a law,  empowering  his  majesty  to 
secure  suspected  persons,  and  to  suspend  the  habeas 
corpus  act.  About  this  period,  the  royal  assent  was 
given  to  an  act  for  encouraging  loyalty  in  Scotland. 
By  this  law,  the  tenant  who  continued  peaceable, 
while  his  lord  took  arms  in  favour  of  the  Pretender, 
was  invested  with  the  property  of  the  lands  he  rented  ; 
on  the  other  hand,  it  decreed  that  the  lands  possessed 
by  any  person  guilty  of  high-treason  should  revert  to 
the  superior  of  whom  they  were  held  ; and  a clause 
was  added  for  summoning  all  suspected  persons  to 
find  bail  for  their  good  behaviour.  By  virtue  of  this 
clause,  all  the  heads  of  the  jacobite  clans,  and  other  sus- 
pected persons,  were  summoned  to  Edinburgh  ; and 
those  who  neglected  to  appear,  were  declared  rebels. 

The  disaffected,  both  in  Emgland  and  Scotland,  held 
private  consultations  with  the  jacobites  ; and  the  Chev- 
alier St.  George  was  assured,  that  the  whole  nation 
was  dissatisfied  with  the  new  government.  Resolving 
to  take  advantage  of  this  favourable  disposition,  the 
Chevalier  applied  to  the  French  king,  who  supplied 
him  with  the  means  of  fitting  out  a small  armament  in 
the  port  of  Havre  ; but  the  death  of  Louis,  which  hap- 
pened at  this  time,  was  highly  detrimental  to  his  in- 
terests ; and  the  duke  of  Orleans,  on  whom  the  regen- 
cy of  the  kingdom  devolved,  adopted  a new  system  of 
politics,  and  entered  into  the  strictest  alliance  with 
the  king  of  Great  Britain. 

The  partisans  of  the  Pretender,  however,  had  gone 
too  far  to  recede.  The  earl  of  Mar,  assem- 
bling three  hundred  of  his  vassals,  proclaimed 
the  Chevalier  at  Castletown,  and  cn  the  sixth  of  Sep- 
tember, set  up  his  standard  at  Brae-Mar.  Then  assum- 
ing the  title  of  lieutenant-general  of  the  Pretender’s 
forces,  he  published  a declaration,  exhorting  the  peo- 
ple to  arm  for  their  lawful  sovereign  3 and  this  was 
followed  by  a manifesto,  in  which  the  national  griev- 
ances were  enumerated  and  aggravated,  and  the  pe> 
pie  promised  redress. 


GEORGE  I. 


141 


Meanwhile;  the  duke  of  Argyle  set  out  for  Scot 
and,  as  commander-in-chief  of  the  forces  in  North 
Britain  ; and  the  earl  of  Sutherland  set  sail  for  that 
country,  to  raise  his  vassals  in  defence  of  his  liege 
sovereign.  Other  heads  of  clans  did  the  same  ; and 
it  was  soon  evident,  that  the  voice  of  Scotland  was 
far  from  being  general  in  favour  of  the  Pretender. 

In  the  North  of  England,  however,  the  Earl  of  Der- 
wentwater  and  Mr.  Foster  took  the  field  with  a bod} 
of  horse,  and  being  joined  by  some  gentlemen  from 
the  borders,  proclaimed  the  Chevalier  in  Warkworth, 
Morpeth,  and  Alnwick.  After  an  ineffectual  attempt 
on  Newcastle,  they  retired  northwards,  and  being 
reinforced  by  a body  of  troops  under  lords  Kenmuir, 
Carnwath,  and  \Yintown,  the  insurgents  advanced  to 
Kelso,  where  they  were  joined  by  Mackintosh,  who 
had  crossed  the  Forth  with  a body  of  highlanders. 

A council  of  war  being  called,  the  rebels  determin- 
ed to  re-enter  England  by  the  western  border.  At 
Brampton,  Foster  opened  his  commission  of  general, 
and  proclaimed  the  Pretender.  They  continued  their 
march  to  Penrith,  where  the  sheriff,  assisted  by  lord 
Lonsdale  and  the  bishop  of  Carlisle,  had  assembled 
the  posse  comitatus  of  Cumberland,  amounting  to 
twelve  thousand  men,  who  fled  at  the  approach  of  this 
small  army.  From  Penrith,  the  insurgents  proceeded 
by  the  way  of  Kendal  and  Lancaster  to  Preston,  of 
which  they  took  possession  without  opposition. 

General  Willis  marched  against  the  rebels,  with  six 
regiments  of  horse  and  one  battalion  of  foot,  and  had 
advanced  to  the  bridge  of  Ribble,  before  Foster  re- 
ceived intelligence  of  their  approach.  At  first,  the 
king’s  troops  met  with  a warm  reception,  but  being 
reinforced  next  day  with  three  regiments  of  dragoons, 
under  general  Carpenter,  the  town  was  invested  on  all 
sides.  The  rebels  now  proposed  to  capitulate,  but 
the  general  refusing  to  treat,  they  surrendered  at  dis- 
cretion. The  noblemen  and  leaders  were  secured, 
and  sent  prisoners  to  London.  Some  of  them  were 
tried  by  the  martial-law  and  executed ; and  the  com- 
mon men  were  imprisoned  at  Chester  and  Liverpool, 
till  the  pleasure  of  government  respecting  them  should 
be  known. 

The  very  day  on  which  the  rebels  surrendered  at 


m 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Preston,  was  fought  the  battle  of  Dumblaine,  between 
the  duke  of  Argyle  and  the  earl  of  Mar.  The  duke's 
army  was  far  inferior  in  point  of  numbers;  but  he  ob 
tained  the  advantage,  though  both  sides  claimed  the 
victory. 

In  this  desperate  situation  of  his  affairs,  the  Chev- 
alier, embarking  in  a small  vessel  at  Dunkirk,  landed 
at  Perhead  on  the  twenty-second  of  December,  and 
proceeded  to  Fetterosse,  where,  being  joined  by  the 
earls  cf  Mar  and  Marischal,  and  about  thirty  noble- 
men and  gentlemen  of  the  first  quality,  he  was  pro- 
claimed king.  His  declaration,  dated  at  Commercy, 
was  printed  and  circulated  through  all  the  adjacent 
counties;  and  he  received  addresses  from  the  episco- 
pal clergy,  and  the  laity  of  that  communion  in  Aber- 
deenshire. On  the  fifth  of  January  he  made  his  pub- 
lic entry  into  Dundee  ; and,  on  the  17th,  he  arrived  at 
I71P1  Scone,  where  he  assumed  all  the  functions  of 
■*  royalty,  and  fixed  his  coronation  for  the  23d  of 
the  same  month. 

This  dream  of  royalty,  however,  was  of  short  dura- 
tion. In  a council,  at  which  all  the  chiefs  of  his  par- 
ty assisted,  it  was  determined  to  abandon  the  enterprise, 
as  they  were  destitute  of  money,  arms  and  ammuni- 
tion, and  as  they  were  beginning  to  be  hemmed  in  by 
the  king's  army.  The  Chevalier,  being  hotly  pursued 
Jt>y  the  duke  of  Argyle,  was  glad  to  embark  on  board  a 
French  vessel  which  lay  in  the  harbour  of  Montrose, 
from  whence  he  sailed  to  France,  accompanied  by 
Mar,  Melfort,  Drummond,  Bulkle.y,  and  other  persona 
of  distinction. 

The  rebellion  being  thus  suppressed,  the  commons 
impeached  the  nobility  who  had  been  engaged  in  this 
affair;  but  of  them  the  earl  of  Derwentwater  and  lord 
*Cenmuir  alone  suffered  death  ; and  few  of  the  lower 
•anks  were  executed  in  comparison  with  the  number 
found  guilty.  About  one  thousand,  who  submitted  to 
fhe  king's  mercy,  petitioned  for  transportation,  and 
were  sent  to  America. 

The  ministry,  sensible  of  the  unpopularity  of  theii 
measures,  and  fearing  the  effects  of  a new  parliament, 
determined  to  repeal  the  triennial  act,  and  by  a new 
. law  to  extend  the  term  of  parliaments  to  seven 
•*  years  Accordingly,  on  the  10th  of  April,  the 


GEORGE  I. 


142 

duke  of  Devonshire  brought  a bill  into  the  house  of 
lords  for  enlarging  the  continuance  of  parliaments, 
which  was  supported  by  all  the  whig  party  3 and  though 
it  was  strenuously  opposed  by  the  earls  of  Nottingham, 
Abingdon,  and  Pauiet,  it  passed  by  a great  majority} 
and,  in  the  lower  house,  it  met  with  the  same  success. 

The  Spanish  king  having  taken  Sardinia,  and  invad- 
ed Sicily,  Great  Britain,  France,  Holland,  and  the 
emperor,  formed  a quadruple  alliance  against  his  cath- 
olic majesty.  Bremen,  and  Verdun,  which  had  been 
purchased  with  the  money  of  England,  were  secured 
to  Hanover,  contrary  to  the  act  of  settlement  in  the 
reign  of  king  William.  Admiral  sir  George  Byng  sail- 
ed, v’.«,h  twenty  ships  of  the  line,  for  the  Mediterra- 
nean 3 and,  on  the  eleventh  of  August,  he  met  with, 
17181  caPe  Passaro,  on  the  southeast  point  of  Sic- 
J ily,  the  Spanish  fleet,  consisting  of  twenty-sev- 
en sail.  An  engagement  ensued,  in  which  sir  George 
took  or  destroyed  the  greatest  part  of  the  hostile  ar- 
mament. 

The  Spaniards  now  formed  a scheme  in  favour  of 
the  Pretender,  and  sent  a squadron,  with  six  thousand 
regular  troops  and  twelve  thousand  stand  of  arms,  un- 
der the  duke  of  Ormond,  to  invade  Great  Britain.  The 
Spanish  fleet,  however,  was  dispersed  by  a violent 
storm,  which  defeated  the  intended  expedition  3 but 
two  frigates  arrived  in  Scotland,  with  the  earls  Ma- 
rischal  and  Seaforth,  the  marquis  of  Tullibardine,  and 
three  hundred  Spaniards.  These  being  attacked  by 
general  Wightman,  were  entirely  defeated.  Soon  af- 
ter, lord  Cobham  made  a descent  on  Spain,  and  took 
Vigo  3 and  his  catholic  majesty  acceded  to  the  quad- 
ruple alliance,  which,  indeed,  was  chiefly  in  favour  of 
the  emperor,  who  was  desirous  of  adding  Sicily  to  his 
other  Italian  dominions. 

On  the  royal  recommendation  to  the  commons  to 
17101  t,a^e  t*ie  nat*onal  debt  into  consideration,  a 
* scheme  was  formed,  called  the  South-Sea  act, 
which  was  productive  of  the  greatest  mischief  and 
infatuation.  The  scheme  was  projected  by  sir  John 
Blount,  who  had  been  bred  a scrivener,  and  who  pro- 
posed to  discharge  the  national  debt,  by  reducing  all 
the  funds  into  one.  The  bank  and  South-Sea  compa- 
ny  bade  against  each  other;  and  the  terms  of  the  Jat 


I 14 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


1720] 


ter  were  so  advantageous,  that  government  closed  wit! 
them. 

While  the  matter  was  in  agitation,  the  stock  of  the 
company  rose  from  one  hundred  and  thirty  to  nearly 
four  hundred  5 and  though  the  Mississippi  scheme  of 
Law  had  ruined  many  thousand  families  in  France,  in 
the  preceding  year,  the  people  of  England 
were  so  infatuated  that  the  example  did  not 
operate  as  a warning.  Blount  imposed  on  the  whole 
nation,  which  was  seized  with  a kind  of  delirium 
The  projector  and  his  associates  pretended,  that  Gib- 
raltar and  Port  Mahon  would  be  exchanged  for  some 
places  in  Peru,  by  which  means  the  English  trade  to 
the  South-Sea  would  be  protected  and  enlarged:  the 
directors  opened  their  books  for  a subscription  of  one 
million,  at  the  rate  of  three  hundred  pounds  for  one 
hundred  capital  stock  ; and  such  was  the  eagerness  of 
the  multitude  to  subscribe,  that  in  five  days  two  mil- 
lions were  entered  in  the  books,  and  stock  advanced 
to  double  the  price  of  the  first  payment. 

By  a promise  of  high  dividends,  and  other  artifices, 
the  South-Sea  stock  was  raised  to  one  thousand.  Ex- 
change-alley was  daily  filled  with  an  infatuated  crowd 
of  all  ranks ; but  in  the  course  of  a few  weeks  the 
stock  fell  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  ; and  the  ebb  of  this 
tide  of  hope  was  so  violent,  as  to  overwhelm  in  ruin 
an  infinite  number  of  families.  Public  credit  sustain- 
ed a terrible  shock.  The  principal  actors  in  this  ne- 
farious undertaking  were  punished  by  parliament,  and 
measures  were  adopted  for  giving  some  redress  to  the 
injured  parties. 

In  the  beginning  of  May,  it  was  reported,  that  the 
king  had  received  from  the  duke  of  Orleans  informa- 
tion of  a conspiracy  against  his  person  and  govern- 
17721  ment-  1°  consequence,  a camp  was  immedi- 
J ately  formed  in  Hyde  park ; all  military  officers 
were  ordered  to  repair  to  their  respective  posts; 
troops  were  sent  from  Ireland;  the  states  of  Holland 
were  desired  to  have  their  auxiliary  forces  ready  to  be 
embarked  ; and  some  suspected  persons  were  app;  e 
hended  in  Scotland. 

Among  the  individuals  supposed  to  be  implicated  in 
this  treasonable  conspiracy  were  Atterbury,  bishop 
of  Pochester;  the  earl  of  Orrery,  the  lords  North  and 


GEORGE  I. 


i4o 

Grey,  Cochrane  and  Smith,  from  Scotland  ; Christo- 
pher Layer,  a young  gentleman  of  the  Temple  ; George 
Kelly,  an  Irish  clergyman  j Cotton,  Bingley,  and 
Fleetwood,  Englishmen  3 and  one  Naynoe,  an  Irish 
priest  All  these  were  taken  into  custody,  and  com- 
mitted to  different  prisons. 

On  the  meeting  of  the  new  parliament,  his  majesty 
informed  them  of  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  plot, 
which,  he  slid,  if  it  had  not  been  timely  discovered, 
would  have  involved  the  whole  nation,  and  particular- 
ly the  city  of  London,  in  blood  and  confusion.  The 
parliament  suspended  the  habeas  corpus  act  for  a year  3 
but  the  opposition  in  the  house  of  commons  was  so 
violent,  that  Mr.  Robert  Walpole,  the  prime-minister, 
endeavoured  to  rouse  their  apprehensions  by  inform- 
ing them  of  a design  to  seize  the  bank  and  exchequer, 
and  to  proclaim  the  Pretender  on  the  Royal  Exchange. 
To  corroborate  the  whole,  an  original  and  printed 
copy  of  a declaration,  signed  by  the  Pretender  at  Luc- 
*a,  was  laid  before  the  house.  In  this  curious  paper 
the  Chevalier  expatiated  on  the  grievances  of  Eng 
land  and  very  gravely  proposed,  that  if  king  George 
would  relinquish  the  throne  of  Great  Britain,  he 
would,  in  return,  bestow  on  him  the  title  of  king  in 
his  native  dominions,  and  secure  to  him  the  succes- 
sion to  the  British  sceptre,  whenever,  in  due  course, 
his  natural  right  should  take  place. 

The  commons  prepared  a bill  for  raising  one  hun- 
dred thousand  pounds  on  the  real  and  personal  estates 
of  papists,  towards  defraying  the  expenses  incurred 
by  the  late  rebellion  and  disorders  ; and  all  persons 
of  that  faith  in  Scotland  were  called  upon  to  register 
their  names  and  real  estates. 

These  acts  were  followed  by  the  trial,  conviction, 
and  execution  of  Layer.  Against  the  lords  who  had 
been  arrested,  no  evidence  appeared,  or  at  least  wag 
produced  ; but  Atterbury,  bishop  of  Rochester,  had 
rendered  himself  too  conspicuous  to  escape  punish- 
ment. On  mere  conjecture  and  hearsay  evidence,  a 
bill  of  pains  and  penalties  passed  the  lower  house 
against  him,  and  was  sent  up  to  the  lords,  when  the 
trial  commenced.  Nothing  could  be  proved  against 
him,  except  the  uncertain  evidence  of  the  clerks  of 
the  post-office  3 yet  the  bishop  was  deprived  of  all 

VOL.  II.  10 


/4d 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


offices,  benefices,  and  dignities,  and  rendered  incapa 
ble  of  enjoying  any  for  the  future  : he  was  also  banish 
ed  the  realm,  and  subjected  to  the  penalty  of  death 
in  case  he  should  return  ; and  all  persons  who  should 
correspond  with  him  in  his  exile,  were  declared  guil- 
ty of  a capital  offence. 

The  remainder  of  the  reign  of  George  the  First  pre- 
sents little  to  excite  attention.  Intricate  and  contra- 
dictory treaties,  most  of  which  were  inimical  to  the 
interests  of  this  country,  form  the  principal  subjects 
of  this  portiori  of  English  history. 

The  king  was  suddenly  seized  with  a paralytic  dis- 
order, on  the  road  from  Holland  to  Hanover,  and  was 
conveyed  in  a state  of  insensibility  to  Osnaburgh, 
17271  w^ere  he  expired  on  Sunday,  the  11th  day  of 
June,  in  the  sixty-eighth  year  of  his  age,  and 
the  thirteenth  of  his  reign. 

George  1.  was  plain  in  his  person,  and  simple  in  his 
address.  His  deportment  was  grave  and  composed, 
though  he  could  be  easy  and  familiar  in  the  hours  of 
relaxation.  Before  he  ascended  the  throne  of  Grea* 
Britain,  he  was  considered  an  able  and  experienced 
general,  a just  and  merciful  prince,  and  a consummate 
politician.  With  these  qualities,  his  disposition  to 
govern  England,  according  to  the  regulations  of  the 
British  constitution,  cannot  be  disputed  ; and  if  ever  he 
appeared  to  deviate  from  these  principles,  we  readily  al- 
low, that  the  blame  does  not  attach  to  him,  but  to  his 
ministers,  by  whose  venal  suggestions  he  was  misled. 

George  l.  married  the  princess  Sophia  Dorothy, 
daughter  of  the  duke  of  Zell,  from  whom  he  separated 
before  he  came  to  England. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Reign  of  George  II. 

On  the  14th  day  of  June,  an  account  was  received 
of  the  late  king’s  death,  when  the  prince  of  Wales 
repaired  from  Richmond  to  Leicester-house,  where  a 
17271  Priyy-council  was  held,  and  next  day,  George 
-*  II.  was  proclaimed  king  with  the  usual  solem 


xjEORGE  II. 


147 


Aities.  Ills  majesty  declared  his  firm  purpose  to  pre* 
serve  liie  constitution  in  church  and  state,  and  to  ad 
here;  to  those  alliances  into  which  his  father  had  en 
cored.  At  the  same  time,  i.e  took  and  subscribed  the 
oath  for  the  security  of  the  church  of  Scotland,  as 
required  by  the  act  of  union  ; and  he  continued  all 
the  great  officers  of  state  in  their  places. 

In  his  speech  to  both  houses,  on  the  opening  of  the 
parliament,  the  king  professed  a fixed  resolution  to 
merit  the  love  and  affection  of  his  people,  by  main- 
taining them  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  their  religious 
and  civil  rights,  and  by  studying  to  lessen  the  expens- 
es of  government  on  every  occasion. 

Sir  Robert  Walpole  followed  these  gracious  assur- 
ances, by  moving  that  the  entire  revenue  of  the  civil- 
list,  which  produced  about  eight  hundred  thousand 
pounds  per  annum,  should  be  settled  on  the  king  dur 
ing  life  ; and  though  Mr.  Shippen  and  other  patriots 
opposed  any  increase  of  the  royal  revenue,  as  incon- 
sistent with  the  trust  reposed  in  them,  the  motion  was 
carried  by  a great  majority;  and  a liberal  provision 
was  made  for  the  queen,  in  case  she  should  survive 
Uis  majesty.  In  short,  the  two  houses-  of  parliament 
seemed  to  vie  with  each  other  in  expressing  their  at- 
tachment to  the  new  king  ; and,  for  a time,  all  parties 
appeared  to  be  united  in  affection  to  his  person,  and 
in  submission  to  the  proposals  of  his  ministers. 

Sir  Robert  Walpole,  though  he  disclaimed  any  in- 
tention of  promoting  a general  excise,  expatiated  on 
the  benefits  which  would  accrue  to  the  nation  by  a 
partial  measure  of  that  nature,  and  prevent  number- 
less frauds  on  the  public  and  the  fair  trader.  The 
speech  of  the  minister  was  followed  by  a motion,  that 
a partial  excise  on  tobacco  should  be  levied.  This 
measure  met  with  a violent  opposition,  as  well  from 
the  consideration  of  the  train  of  dependants  it  would 
produce,  as  from  the  dread  of  its  extension  to 
other  articles  ; and  the  ferment  became  so  great 
throughout  the  nation,  that  though  the  minister  had  a 
triumphant  majority  of  sixty-one  in  the  house  of  com- 
mons, he  was  obliged  to  waive  the  advantage,  and 
abandon  the  scheme. 

Ever  since  the  treaty  of  Seville,  in  1729,  the  Soan- 
tards  in  America  had  almost  incessantly  insulted  and 


1733] 


M8  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

Jistressed  the  commerce  of  Great  Britain  They 
disputed  the  right  of  the  English  to  cut  logwood  in  the 
bay  of  Campeachy,  and  gather  salt  on  the  island  of  Tor- 
tugas,  though  that  right  was  acknowledged  in  all  the 
treaties  concluded  between  the  two  nations.  The 
captains  of  their  armed  vessels,  called  guarda-costas, 
made  a practice  of  boarding  and  plundering  English 
ships,  on  pretence  of  searching  for  contraband  goods; 
and  various  other  acts  of  cruelty  and  injustice  were 
committed.  In  particular,  one  captain  Jenkins,  mas- 
ter of  a Scottish  merchant-ship,  was  boarded  by  the 
commander  of  a Spanish  guarda-costa,  who  insulted 
Jenkins  with  the  most  opprobrious  invectives,  and  tore 
off  one  of  his  ears,  which  he  bade  him  carry  to  his  king, 
and  tell  him  that  the  Spaniards  would  serve  him  in  the 
same  manner,  if  an  opportunity  should  present  itself. 

These  outrages  were  loudly  and  justly  complained 
of.  Petitions  from  different  parts  of  the  kingdom  were 
presented  to  the  lower  house  5 and  the  relief  of  par- 
liament was  earnestly  implored  against  these  acts  of 
violence.  Sir  John  Barnard  moved,  that  all  the  me- 
morials and  papers  relative  to  the  Spanish  depreda- 
tions should  be  laid  before  the  commons  ; and  though 
Sir  Robert  Walpole  proposed  some  alteration,  he  was 
obliged  to  comply. 

The  minister,  however,  was  either  fond  of  peace, 
or  afraid  that  war  would  endanger  his  administration. 
Every  endeavour,  therefore,  to  prevent  a rupture  with 
Spain  was  industriously  employed  ; and  at  last  a con- 
17^81  ven^on  was  concluded  and  ratified,  by  which 
-*  the  king  of  Spain  bound  himself  to  pay,  within 
a limited  time,  the  sum  of  ninety-five  thousand  pounds, 
to  be  employed  in  discharging  the  demands  of  British 
subjects  oh  the  crown  of  Spain.  This  measure,  how- 
ever, excited  great  indignation  ; and  Mr.  William  Pitt, 
who  afterwards  rendered  nimself  so  illustrious  by  his 
eloquence,  his  virtues,  and  his  talents,  declaimed 
against  the  convention,  as  insecure,  unsatisfactory. 
anJ  dishonourable  to  Great  Britain. 

The  Spaniards  not  fulfilling  the  agreement  into 
which  they  had  entered,  letters  of  marque  and  repri- 
sal were  granted  against  Spain  ; a large  fleet  was  as- 
sembled at  Spithead  ; the  land  forces  were  augmented; 
and  an  embargo  was  laid  on  all  merchant  vessels.  Af- 


GEORGE  II. 


ns 


I7WI  ter  anot^er  fruitless  attempt  to  negotiate,  war 
-*  was  at  last  formally  declared. 

Admiral  Vernon  having  affirmed,  in  the  house  of 
commons,  that  he  could  take  Porto  Bello,  on  the 
Spanish  Main,  with  six  ships,  was  despatched  thither, 
and  actually  performed  this  hazardous  service,  almost 
without  opposition.  On  the  arrival  of  this  news,  the 
two  houses  of  parliament  joined  in  an  address  of  con- 
gratulation on  the  success  of  his  majesty’s  arms;  and 
the  commons  granted  all  the  necessary  supplies  for 
carrying  on  the  war. 

The  minister,  however,  was  become  extremely  un- 
popular. War  was  not  the  sphere  of  sir  Robert  Wal- 
pole. Expensive  expeditions  were  projected,  without 
producing  any  corresponding  effect;  and  the  enemy 
was  unmolested  in  proceeding  from  one  port  to  anoth- 
er. In  consequence,  the  minister  was  attacked  in  the 
house  of  commons  with  much  asperity  ; and  though 
he  contrived  to  retain  his  situation,  it  was  evident 
that  his  administration  was  verging  towards  a close. 

Charles  VI.,  emperor  of  Germany,  and  the  last 
male  sovereign  of  the  house  of  Austria,  died  at 
Vienna,  and  was  succeeded  in  his  hereditary 
dominions  by  his  eldest  daughter,  the  archduchess 
Maria  Theresa,  married  to  the  grand  duke  of  Tusca- 
ny ; but,  though  this  princess  became  queen  of  Hun- 
gary, by  virtue  of  the  pragmatic  sanction,  the  restless* 
ambition  of  her  neighbours  would  not  suffer  her  to 
enjoy  those  possessions  which  had  been  guarantied  by 
all  the  powers  of  Europe.  Frederick,  the  young  and 
aspiring  king  of  Prussia,  was  no  sooner  informed  of 
the  emperor’s  death,  than  he  laid  claim  to  Silesia, 
which  ne  entered  at  the  head  of  twenty  thousand  men. 
At  the  same  time,  the  elector  of  Bavaria  refused  to 
acknowledge  the  archduchess  as  queen  of  Hungary 
and  Bohemia,  alleging,  that  he  himself  had  legitimate 
pretensions  to  these  dominions.  Thus  a war  was  kin- 
dled in  Germany  , and  the  archduchess  made  requi- 
sition of  twelve  thousand  men,  stipulated  by  treaty  to 
be  furnished  her  by  England. 

In  the  present  posture  of  affairs,  men  could  be  less  . 
conveniently  spared  than  money  ; and  sir  Robert  Wal- 
pole moved,  that  two  hundred  thousand  pounds  should 
be  granted  in  aid  to  the  quei  n of  Hungary.  The  mo 


150 


HISTORY  OB  ENGLAND. 


tion  passed,  though  not  without  opposition  ; and  the 
house  resolved,  that  three  hundred  thousand  pounds 
snould  be  granted  to  his  majesty  to  enable  him  to  as- 
sist the  archduchess. 

An  attempt  was  made  on  Carthagena  by  sir  Chalon- 
er  Ogle,  and  admiral  Vernon  ; but  it  failed  of'  success, 
and  was  attended  with  the  loss  of  many  men,  the 
greatest  part  of  whom  were  martyrs  to  the  season,  and 
the  climate.  Another  unsuccessful  expedition  to  Cuba 
p .ished  the  losses  and  the  disgraces  of  this  campaign. 
The  nation  complained  loudly  of  these  miscarriages  j 
and  the  general  discontent  had  a great  effect  on  the 
election  of  members  for  the  new  parliament.  Not- 
withstanding all  the  ministerial  influence,  the  party  of 
opposition  evidently  prevailed.  The  adherents  of  the 
minister  began  to  tremble  ; and  sir  Robert  Walpole 
knew,  that  the  majority  of  a single  vote  would  commit 
him  prisoner  to  the  Tower.  After  endeavouring  in 
vain  to  bring  over  the  prince  of  Wales  to  his  party, 
17411  Prudently  meditated  a retreat  ; and  the  king 
■*  having  adjourned  both  houses  of  parliament,  in 
the  mean  time  sir  Robert  Walpole  was  created  earl 
of  Oxford,  and  resigned  all  his  employments,  after  be- 
ing a minister  for  twenty  years. 

The  change  in  the  ministry  was  celebrated  with 
public  rejoicings  ; yet,  if  the  character  of  Walpole  be 
candidly  appreciated,  we  ahall  find  less  to  censure 
than  to  praise.  That  he  carried  his  measures  by  ve- 
nal influence  must  be  allowed,  and  this  is  the  great- 
est stain  that  attaches  to  his  character  ; but  those  who 
suffered  themselves  to  be  corrupted,  were  at  least 
equally  blameable.  When,  however,  we  contemplate 
his  aversion  to  war,  and  his  disinterested  conduct, 
when  so  much  was  at  his  disposal,  we  cannot  deny 
him  the  tribute  of  our  applause. 

In  the  new  administration,  the  duke  of  Newcastle 
17121  and  ^r*  reamed  their  former  situa- 

tions.  Mr.  Sandys  succeeded  sir  Robert  Wal- 
pole as  chancellor  of  the  exchequer  ; and  the  earl  of 
Wilmington  was  appointed  first  lord  of  the  treasury, 
in  the  room  of  the  ex-minister.  Lord  Carteret  became 
secretary  of  state  for  the  foreign  department ; and  Mr 
Pulteney,  who  refused  any  official  situation,  was  swom 
of  the  privy-council,  and  soon  after  created  earl  of 
Bath. 


georgl:  ii. 


151 


It  soon,  however,  appeared,  that  those  who  had  de- 
claimed the  loudest  for  the  liberties  of  their  country, 
had  been  actuated  solely  by  sordid  or  ridiculous  mo- 
tives. The  people  complained,  that,  instead  of  a 
change  of  men  and  measures,  the  old  ministry  was 
strengthened  by  this  coalition  ; and  they  branded  the 
new  converts  as  apostates  and  betrayers  of  their  coun- 
try. 

The  parliament  voted  one  hundred  thousand  sea- 
men and  landmen  for  the  service  of  the  year  5 five 
hundred  thousand  pounds  to  the  queen  of  Hungary; 
and  they  provided  for  the  subsidies  to  Denmark  and 
Hesse  Cassel.  As  the  king  had  determined  to  make 
a powerful  diversion  in  the  Netherlands,  sixteen  thou- 
sand men  were  embarked  for  the  continent,  under  the 
command  of  the  earl  of  Stair;  and  several  thousands 
of  Hanoverians,  Hessians,  and  Austrians,  were  taken 
into  British  pay. 

The  troops  which  the  king  of  Great  Britain  had  as- 
sembled in  the  Netherlands,  marched  for  the  Rhine, 
and  encamped  at  Hoech  on  tiie  river  Maine.  The 
duke  of  Cumberland  had  already  come  to  make  his 
first  campaign,  and  his  majesty  arrived  in  the  camp  on 
the  9th  of  June.  The  king  found  his  army,  amount- 
ing to  about  forty  thousand  men,  in  a critical  situa- 
tion ; and  receiving  intelligence  that  a reinforcement 
of  twelve  thousand  Hanoverians  and  Hessians  had 
reached  Hanau,  he  resolved  to  march  to  that  place,  as 
well  with  a view  to  effect  a junction,  as  to  procure 
provisions  for  his  forces.  Soon  after  he  had  begun  his 
march,  he  perceived  the  French  drawn  up  in  order  of 
battle  at  the  village  of  Dettingen ; and  he  now  found 
himself  enclosed  on  all  sides  by  the  enemy,  insomuch 
17401  that  a retreat  was  impossible.  Thus  environed, 
-*  the  confederates  must  either  have  fought  at  a 
great  disadvantage,  or  been  obliged  to  surrender,  if 
the  duke  de  Grammont  had  not  rashly  descended  into 
the  plain.  The  French  charged  with  impetuosity,  and 
the  allies  received  the  shock  with  great  intrepidity 
and  deliberation.  The  king  himself  displayed  much 
personal  courage  ; and  the  duke  of  Cumberland  was 
wounded.  The  French  were  at  last  repulsed,  and 
obliged  to  cross  the  Maine,  with  the  loss  of  five  thou 
sand  men. 


152 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


The  French,  who  had  now  become  principals  in  the 
war,  projected  an  invasion  of  Great- Britain,  and  made 
preparations  for  that  purpose  at  Boulogne  and  Dun- 
Kirk,  under  the  inspection  of  the  young  Pretender; 
but  sir  John  Norris  appearing  with  a fleet  superior  to 
17441  ^iat  wh*ch  was  to  convey  the  French  forces, 
-*  the  expedition  was  laid  aside  for  that  season. 
However,  in  the  Netherlands,  the  enemy  had  consider- 
able success  under  marshal  count  Saxe,  a natural  son 
of  Augustus,  king  of  Poland,  by  the  countess  Konings- 
mark. 

In  the  next  campaign,  a very  numerous  army  was 
174^1  assembled  under  marshal  Saxe  ; and  the  French 
■*  king  and  the  dauphin  arriving  in  the  camp,  the 
strong  town  of  Toujnay  was  invested.  The  duke  of 
Cumberland  assumed  the  command  of  the  allied 
army  ; and  though  the  confederates  were  greatly  infe- 
rior in  number  to  the  enemy,  they  resolved  to  attempt 
the  relief  of  Tournay.  On  the  28th  of  April,  they 
came  in  sight  of  the  French  army,  strongly  encamp- 
ed under  cover  of  the  village  of  Fontenoy.  On  the 
30th  of  April  they  attacked  the  French  in  their  in- 
trenchments  ; and  though  the  attempt  was  considered 
rash  and  imprudent,  the  allied  army  at  first  had  the 
advantage  ; but  the  destructive  fire  of  the  enemy's  bat 
teries,  to  which  they  were  exposed  both  in  front  and 
flank,  at  last  obliged  them  to  retreat.  The  allies  lost 
about  twelve  thousand  men,  and  the  French  nearly 
the  same  number;  but  the  consequences  of  this  furi- 
ous battle  were  all  against  the  English  and  the  allies. 
Tournay  was  compelled  to  surrender ; Ghent  was  sur- 
prised and  taken;  Ostend,  Dendermonde,  Oudenarde, 
Newport,  and  Aeth,  were  successively  reduced  ; while 
the  allied  army  lay  entrenched  behind  the  canal  of 
Antwerp. 

The  pretender,  Charles,  son  of  the  chevalier  de  St. 
George,  fired  with  ambition  and  the  hope  of  ascending 
the  throne  of  his  ancestors,  resolved  to  risk  an  inva- 
sion of  Great  Britain.  Being  furnished  with  a sum  of 
money,  and  a supply  of  arms,  he  embarked  on  board 
of  a small  frigate,  accompanied  by  the  marquis  of  Tul- 
lybardine  and  a few  Scottish  and  Irish  adventurers 
and  was  joined  by  the  Elizabeth,  a French  ship  of  war, 
as  his  convoy.  Their  design  was  to  sail  round  Ire 


GEORGE  II. 


id  3 


.and,  and  to  land  on  the  western  coast  of  Scotknd; 
but  being  met  by  the  Lion,  an  English  ship  of  the  line, 
an  engagement  ensued  between  the  Lion  and  the  Eliz- 
abeth, in  which  the  latter  was  so  disabled,  that  she 
was  obi  ged  to.  return  to  Brest)  and  the  young  Pre- 
tender was  deprived  of  a great  quantity  of  arms,  and 
the  assistance  of  about  one  hundred  officers,  who  had 
embarked  in  that  vessel  for  the  expedition.  Charles, 
however,  in  the  frigate,  continued  his  course  to  the 
western  isles  of  Scotland,  and  on  the  27th  of  July, 
landed  on  the  coast  of  Lochabar,  where  he  was  soon 
joined  by  twelve  hundred  men,  under  their  respective 
chiefs  or  leaders. 

The  administration  was  now  sufficiently  alarmed. 
The  king  was  at  this  time  in  Hanflver.  The  lords  of 
the  regency  despatched  a messenger  to  his  majesty 
with  the  news,  and  offered  a reward  of  thirty  thousand 
pounds  for  the  apprehension  of  Charles.  Loyal  ad- 
dresses flocked  in  from  all  parts.  The  principal  no- 
blemen tendered  their  services  to  the  government; 
and  the  former  discontents  seemed  to  be  forgotten  in 
the  fears  of  the  present  moment. 

The  prince  advanced  to  Perth,  where  the  chevalier 
de  St.  George  was  proclaimed  king  of  Great  Britain  ; 
and,  the  rebel  army  being  considerably  augmented, 
Charles,  on  the  IGth  of  September,  took  possession  of 
the  town  of  Edinburgh.  Here  he  caused  his  father 
again  to  be  proclaimed,  and  fixed  his  residence  in  the 
royal  palace  of  Holyrood-house. 

Sir  John  Cope,  commander-in-chief  of  the  forces  in 
North  Britain,  informed  of  these  transactions,  assem- 
bled all  the  troops  he  could  muster,  and,  on  the  20th 
of  September,  encamped  at  Preston  Pans,  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  Edinburgh.  Next  morning  he  was  attacked 
by  the  Pretender,  with  about  two  thousand  four  hun- 
dred highlanders,  who  charged  sword  in  hand  ; and  in 
less  than  ten  minutes,  the  king's  treops  were  totally 
routed,  with  the  loss  of  about  five  hundred  men.  By 
this  victory,  Charles  was  supplied  with  a train  of  field 
artillery,  and  found  himself  possessed  of  all  Scotland, 
except  the  fortresses. 

The  Pretender  continued  to  reside  in  the  palace  of 
Holyrood-house  ; but  after  being  joined  by  the  lords 
Kilmarnock,  Elcho,  Balmerino,  and  many  other  per 


154 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


f.ons  of  distinction,  and  receiving  considerable  sup 
plies  from  France,  he  resolved  to  make  an  irruption 
into  England.  Accordingly,  on  the  6th  of  Novem- 
ber, he  entered  Carlisle,  whence  he  advanced  to  Pen- 
rith, and  continued  his  route  through  Lancaster  and 
Preston  to  Manchester,  where  he  was  joined  by  about 
two  hundred  English  jacobites,  under  the  command 
of  colonel  Townley.  Crossing  the  Mersey  at  Stock- 
port,  Charles  passed  through  Macclesfield  and  Con- 
gleton  to  Derby  j at  which  last  place  a council  was 
held,  and  it  was  determined  to  return  into  Scotland 
The  retreat  was  effected  with  all  the  artillery  and  mil 
itary  stores,  in  spite  of  two  hostile  armies,  ^ne  under 
general  Wade,  and  the  other  under  sir  John  Ligonier 
stationed  to  intercept  the  rebels  j but  the  most  re 
markable  circumstance  in  this  expedition  was  the 
great  moderation  and  forbearance  which  the  Preten- 
der’s army  exercised,  in  a country  abounding  with 
plunder.  No  violence  oi  outrage  was  committed,  not- 
withstanding the  extremities  to  which  they  must  have 
oeen  reduced. 

The  duke  of  Cumberland,  being  now  invested  with 
the  chief  command,  set  out  for  the  north,  and  over- 
took the  rear  of  the  rebels  at  the  village  of  Clifton,  in 
the  vicinity  of  Penrith,  where  a skirmish  took  place 
Carlisle,  which  the  Pretender  garrisoned,  submitted 
to  the  duke  in  a few  days.  Charles,  however,  after 
levying  heavy  contributions  on  Glasgow,  which  had 
displayed  its  attachment  to  the  government,  proceed- 
ed to  invest  the  castle  of  Stirling.  General  Hawley, 
commander  of  the  king’s  forces  in  that  quarter,  march- 
ed to  Falkirk,  with  the  intention  of  bringing  the  reb- 
174fl  e^s  to  an  act‘on*  The  latter,  however,  began 
■*  the  attack  on  the  17th  of  January  j and  their 
first  volley  threw  the  royal  forces  into  disorder.  The 
rebels  following  up  their  blow,  the  royal  army  aban 
doned  Falkirk,  and  retired  in  confusion  to  Edinburgh, 
leaving  part  of*  the  tents  and  artillery  in  the  hands  of 
the  enemy. 

The  duke  of  Cumberland,  having  put  himself  at 
the  head  of  the  troops  in  Edinburgh,  advanced  to  Aber- 
deen, the  rebels  fleeing  all  the  way  before  him  ; and 
after  crossing  the  deep  and  rapid  river  Spey  without 
opposition,  he  was  at  length  informed,  that  the  enemy 


GEORGE  II. 


155 


were  encamped  on  the  plains  of  Culloden,  about  nine 
miles  from  the  royal  army.  On  the  16th  of  April,  the 
duke  of  Cumberland  left  Nairn  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, and,  after  a march  of  nine  miles,  perceived  the 
enemy-drawn  up  in  order  of  battle,  to  the  number  of 
four  thousand  men.  The  royal  army,  which  was 
much  more  numerous,  was  immediately  formed  into 
three  lines. 

The  action  commenced  about  one  o'clock  in  the  af- 
ternoon. The  artillery  of  the  rebels  was  badly  serv- 
ed, and  did  little  execution  j but  that  of  the  king's 
troops  made  a dreadful  havoc  among  the  enemy.  Im- 
patient of  this  fire,  about  five  hundred  of  the  clans 
charged  the  duke's  left  wing  with  their  usual  impetu- 
osity ; and  one  regiment  was  thrown  into  disorder  by 
the  attack  of  this  body  ; but  two  battalions  advancing 
from  the  second  line,  supported  the  first,  and  galled 
the  enemy  by  a close  and  terrible  discharge.  At  the 
same  time,  the  dragoons  under  Hawley,  and  the  Argy 
elshire  militia,  pulling  down  a park  wall,  which  guard- 
ed the  flank  of  the  rebels,  fell  upon  them,  and  made 
a horrible  slaughter.  In  less  than  half  an  hour,  they 
were  totally  routed,  and  the  field  covered  with  the 
slain. 

Thus,  in  one  short  hour,  all  the  hopes  and  ambition 
of  the  Pretender  sunk  together,  and  instead  of  thrones 
and  sceptres,  he  saw  himself  a miserable  outcast.  To 
the  eternal  disgrace  of  the  conquerors,  they  spread  ter- 
ror wherever  they  came  ; the  whole  surrounding 
country 'was  one  sad  scene  of  slaughter,  desolation 
and  plunder ; and,  in  a few  days,  there  was  neither 
man  nor  house  to  be  seen  within  the  circuit  of  fifty 
miles  ! The  unfortunate  Charles  was  now  chased  by 
armed  troops  from  hill  to  dale,  from  rock  to  cavern, 
and  from  mountain  to  mountain.  At  length,  after  ma- 
ny escapes  and  distresses,  he  found  means  to  embark 
on  board  a small  vessel,  which  conveyed  him  in  safe- 
ty to  Morlaix  in  Bretagne. 

Punishment  now  awaited  those  who  had  escaped 
death  in  the  field  of  battle.  Seventeen  rebel  officers 
were  executed  at  Kennington  Common,  near  London 
Lords  Kilmarnock,  Balmerino,  and  Lovat,  suffered  de- 
capitation on  Tower-hill,  as  did  also  Mr.  Ratcliffe,  the 
titular  earl  of  Derwentvvater,  on  his  former  sentence 
in  1716. 


156 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


The  French  had  fitted  out  two  squadrons  at  Brest, 
one  to  make  a descent  on  the  British  colonies  in 
America,  the  other  to  assist  the  operations  of  their 
arms  in  the  East  Indies.  These  squadrons,  however, 
were  intercepted  and  attacked  by  admirals  Anson  and 
Warren,  and  nine  ships  were  taken,  on  board  of  which 
was  found  a great  quantity  of  bullion,  which  was  land- 
ed at  Spithead,  and  conveyed  in  twenty  wagons 
through  the  streets  of  London  to  the  bank.  Soon  af- 
ter,  admiral  Hawke  defeated  a French  fleet,  and 
-*  took  seven  ships  of  the  line  and  several  frig- 
ates ; and,  in  the  course  of  this  year,  the  British  cruis- 
ers were  very  successful  in  capturing  the  vessels  of 


1748] 


the  enemy. 

At  the  close  of  the  session  of  parliament,  the  king 
informed  both  houses,  that  the  preliminaries  for 
a general  peace  had  been  actually  signed  at 
Aix-la-Chapelle,  by  the  ministers  of  Great  Britain, 
France,  and  the  United  Provinces,  on  the  basis  of  a 
general  restitution  of  conquests. 

By  the  treaty  of  Aix-la-Chapelle,  in  which  the  earl 
of  Sandwich  and  sir  Thomas  Robinson  were  the  Brit- 
ish plenipotentiaries,  it  was  stipulated,  that  thedutch- 
ies  of  Parma,  Placentia,  and  Guastalla,  should  be  ced- 
ed to  Don  Philip,  heir-apparent  to  the  Spanish  throne, 
and  his  heirs  ; but,  in  case  of  his  succeeding  to  the 
crown  of  Spain,  that  then  these  dominions  should  re- 
vert to  the  house  of  Austria  : that  the  fortifications  of 
Dunkirk  to  the  sea  should  be  demolished  : that  the 
king  of  Prussia  should  be  secured  in  his  possession  of 
Silesia,  which  he  had  conquered  : and  that  the  queen 
of  Hungary  should  be  guarantied  in  her  hereditary  do- 
minions. No  mention  was  made  of  the  right  of  the 
English  to  sail  in  the  American  seas  without  being 
subject  to  a search,  though  this  claim  was  the  original 
cause  of  the  difference  between  Great-Rritaiu  and 
Spain.  In  short,  it  would  be  difficult  to  point  out  one 
advantage  which  this  country  gained  by  a war  that  had 
cost  so  many  millions  of  money. 

As  several  nations  on  the  continent  had  reformed 
their  calendar  according  to  the  computation  of  Pope 
Gregory  the  Thirteenth,  and  much  confusion  in  mer 
cantile  transactions  had  arisen,  the  parliament  decreed, 
that  the  new  year  should  begin  on  the  first  day  of  Jan 


GEORGE  II. 


151 


t752] 


uary,  and  that  eleven  intermediate  nominil 


days,  between  the  second  and  fourteenth  of 
September,  should  this  year  be  omitted,  so  that  the 
day  succeeding  the  second  should  be  denominated  and 
accounted  the  fourteenth. 

As  soon  as  the  French  had  recovered  a little  from 
the  effects  of  the  late  war,  they  began  to  erect  forts 
on  the  back  of  the  British  settlements  in  North-Amer- 
ica,  and  they  also  attempted  to  seize  Nova-Scotia. 
The  English  government  receiving  only  evasive  an- 
swers from  the  court  of  France,  on  the  subject  of  the 
encroachments  in  America,  ordered  the  governors  of 
that  country  to  expel  the  French  by  force  from  their 
settlements  on  the  river  Ohio.  In  consequence,  colo- 
nel Washington,  who  afterwards  made  himself  so  fa- 
mous in  the  cause  of  American  independence,  was 
despatched  from  Virginia  with  four  hundred  men,  and 
occupying  a post  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  was  at- 
tacked by  the  French  who  compelled  him  to  surren- 
der the  fort.  It  was  now  evident,  that  war  was  inevi- 
table. France  continued  to  send  reinforcements  of 
men,  and  Supplies  of  ammunition,  to  Quebec,  for  the 
purpose  of  prosecuting  her  ambitious  projects  5 and 
the  ministry  of  Great  Britain  exhorted  the  governors 
of  the  provinces  in  North-Ainerica  to  repel  the  incur- 
sions of  the  enemy. 

Admiral  Boscawen  being  sent  with  a squadron  of 
ships  to  protect  the  province  of  Nova-Scotia,  captur- 
ed two  French  vessels,  the  Alcide  and  the  Lys.  About 
the  same  time,  general  Braddock,  wh$>  had  been  sent 
to  Virginia,  took  upon  him  the  command  of  the 
forces  destined  to  act  against  the  French  on  the 
Ohio  ; and,  on  the  9th  of  July,  while  advancing  with- 
out proper  caution,  he  was  suddenly  attacked  by  a gen- 
eral fire,  both  in  front  and  flank,  from  an  invisible  en- 
emy, concealed  behind  the  trees  and  bushes.  The 
van-guard  immediately  fell  back,  and  horror  and  con- 
fusion seized  the  ranks.  The  general  himself  was 
killed  by  a musket-shot;  and  the  few  remaining  sol- 
diers instantly  fled,  and  left  their  baggage  and  ammu- 
nition in  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

Sir  William  Johnson,  who  had  been  appointed  to 
the  command  of  an  expedition  against  Crown  Point, 
being  attacked  by  the  French  and  Indians  near  Oswe- 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


1 J 5 


go,  <',;i  tb e south-east  side  of  the  lake  Ontario,  defeat* 
eJ  Die  enemy  with  great  loss,  but  was  unable  to  pro- 
ceed on  the  ulterior  object  of  his  orders. 

In  this  year  happened  a terrible  catastrophe,  which 
united  all  parties  in  one  common  sentiment  of  hu- 
manity. On  the  1st  of  November,  an  earthquake  de- 
stroyed the  greatest  part  of  the  city  of  Lisbon,  with  an 
immense  number  of  its  inhabitants,  while  the  surviv- 
ors, destitute  of  the  necessaries  of  life,  were  exposed 
to  misery  and  famine.  On  this  occasion,  the  parlia- 
ment of  Great  Britain  generously  voted  one  hundred 
thousand  pounds  for  the  distressed  Portuguese. 

The  next  year,  a treaty  between  his  Britannic  ma- 
jesty and  the  king  of  Prussia  was  signed,  by  which 
they  mutually  engaged  not  to  suffer  any  foreign  troops 
to  enter  Germany.  On  the  other  hand,  the 

° ■*  queen  of  Hungary,  though  she  owed  every  thing 
to  Great  Britain,  concluded  a treaty  of  mutual  guaran- 
tee and  support  with  France  $ and  she  refused  to  his 
Britannic  majesty  the  auxiliaries  that  she  had  agreed 
to  furnish,  on  account  of  her  dangerous  neighbour  the 
king  of  Prussia. 

Mr.  Pitt,  and  Mr.  Legge,  the  most  popular  mem- 
bers of  administration,  disapproving  of  the  political 
measures  which  had  been  adopted,  as  ruinous  and  air- 
surd,  were  dismissed  from  office  \ and  the  seals  were 
soon  after  transferred  from  sir  Thomas  Robinson  to 
Mr.  Fox,  whose  abilities  were  universally  acknowl- 
edged. 

The  French  equipped  a formidable  squadron  of  ships 
at  Brest,  and  assembling  a number  of  land-forces  and 
transports,  threatened  Fmgland  with  an  invasion.  Tc 
meet  the  attack,  several  thousands  of  foreign  mercen- 
aries were  called  upon  to  assist  this  country,  on  the 
presumption  that  the  menaces  of  France  w'ould  be 
carried  into  effect  3 but,  under  the  pretence  of  an  in- 
vading armament,  the  French  prepared  an  expedition, 
which  too  w'ell  succeeded. 

A formidable  fleet  sailed  from  Toulon  with  forces 
to  invade  Minorca  ; and  when  admiral  Byng,  who  had 
been  sent  out  too  late,  arrived  at  Gibraltar,  he  found 
that  the  enemy  had  landed,  and  were  besieging  Fort 
St.  Phiiip,  which  was  defended  by  general  Blakeney. 
The  admiral  being  reinforced  by  a detachment  from 


GEORGE  II. 


152 


the  garrison  at  Gibraltar,  proceeded  to  Minorca,  and 
perceived  the  British  colours  still  flying  at  the  castle 
of  St.  Philip.  However,  before  a landing  could  be 
effected,  the  French  fleet,  under  La  Galissoniere,  ap- 
peared j but  though  an  engagement  ensued,  both  com- 
manders seemed  averse  to  the  continuance  of  the 
battle;  and  the  French  admiral,  taking  advantage  of 
Byng’s  hesitation,  sailed  away. 

In  a council  of  war,  which  was  held  immediately 
after  this  indecisive  engagement,  it  was  unanimously 
agreed,  that  it  was  impracticableto  relieve  the  castle 
of  St.  Philip,  and  that  it  would  be  advisable  to  return 
to  Gibraltar,  which  might  require  immediate  protec- 
tion. General  Blakeney  receiving  no  assistance,  at 
length  capitulated  on  honourable  terms. 

The  ministry,  irritated  against  admiral  Byng,  who 
had  complained  that  the  English  fleet  had  been  too 
long  delayed,  and  that  the  ships  under  his  command 
were  unfit  for  service,  took  no  steps  to  lessen  the  odi- 
um which  popular  prejudice  attached  to  him  ; on  the 
contrary,  they  were  pleased  to  find  the  blame  trans- 
ferred from  themselves,  and  that  the  admiral’s  imput- 
ed misconduct  exonerated  them  from  censure. 

The  unfortunate  admiral  was  brought  to  trial,  and 
the  court  determined,  that  during  the  engage- 
ment  off  Minorca,  he  did  not  use  his  utmost  en- 
deavours to  take,  seize,  and  destroy,  the  ships  of  the 
French  king,  nor  exert  his  utmost  power  for  the  relief 
of  the  castle  of  St.  Philip;  and,  that  the  punishment 
attached  to  this  sentence  was  death ; but,  as  they  be- 
lieved that  his  misconduct  arose  neither  from  coward- 
ice nor  disaffection,  they  earnestly  recommended  him 
to  mercy. 

All  the  friends  and  relations  of  the  unhappy  man 
exerted  their  influence  to  obtain  a remission  of  his 
sentence,  which  popular  clamour  alone  had  extorted 
from  his  judges  ; but  the  sovereign  was  told,  that  the 
death  of  Byng  was  necessary  to  appease  the  fury  of 
the  people;  and,  in  spite  of  every  application,  a war- 
rant was  signed  for  his  execution.  Thus  abandoned 
to  his  fate,  the  unfortunate  admiral  was  not  wanting 
to  himself  on  this  trying  ocasion.  Conscious  of  the 
uprightness  of  his  intentions,  he  advanced,  to  the  quar- 
ter-deck with  a firm  and  deliberate  step,  and  throwing 


1G0 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


down  his  hat,  kneeled  on  a cushion,  tied  one  hand* 
kerchief  over  his  eyes,  and  dropped  another  as  a sig- 
nal to  his  executioners,  when  five  balls  passed  through 
his  body,  and  he  fell  dead  without  a struggle. 

Notwithstanding  this  sacrifice,  the  clamours  against 
the  administration  continued  to  increase  5 and  the 
ministry  found  it  necessary  to  admit  into  a participa- 
tion of  office  Mr.  Pitt  and  Mr.  Legge,  who  were  alike 
distinguished  for  their  spirit  and  integrity  ; but  adverse 
as  these  two  patriots  were  to  his  majesty's  scheme  of 
continental  politics,  they  could  not  agree  with  their 
colleagues,  and  were  dismissed  from  their  situations. 
Addresses,  however,  poured  in  from  all  parts,  in  fa- 
vour of  the  discarded  ministers  ; and  the  king  thought 
proper  to  reinstate  Mr.  Pitt  in  his  former  situation 
of  secretary  of  state,  and  Mr.  Legge  in  the  office  of. 
chancellor  of  the  exchequer. 

Public  affairs  were  adverse  at  the  commencement 
of  this  administration.  An  unsuccessful  attempt  was 
made  against  R.ochefort ; but  what  was  infinitely  more 
disastrous,  the  duke  of  Cumberland,  unable  to  contend 
with  the  great  military  talents  of  Marshal  d’Etrees, 
was  obliged  to  capitulate  at  Closter  Seven,  by  which 
Hanover  was  left  in  the  hands  of  the  French,  and  an 
army  of  thirty-eight  thousand  Hanoverians  were  dis- 
armed and  disbanded.  This  inglorious  convention 
seems  to  have  been  the  crisis  of  the  war,  which  un- 
der the  guidance  of  other  ministers,  produced  the  most 
splendid  events. 

In  America,  after  the  return  of  lord  Loudon  to  Eng 
land,  the  chief  command  devolved  on  major-general 
Abercrombie.  On  the  27th  of  July,  Louisburg  and 
Cape  Breton  surrendered  to  the  British  under  major- 
17^1  Seneral  Amherst;  and  Fort  du  Quesne,  which 
* the  French  had  evacuated*  was  garrisoned  un- 
der the  name  of  Pittsburgh,  in  compliment  to  the 
minister.  The  English  also  concluded  a treaty  with 
the  Indian  nations,  inhabiting  the  country  between  the 
Xpalachian  mountains  and  the  lakes;  and  such  was 
the  spirit  of  enterprise,  which  now  animated  the  cab- 
inet, that  the  conquest  of  Canada  was  projected  as 
the  business  of  a single  campaign. 

To  accomplish  this  important  object,  major-general 
W'oife,  who  had  already  distinguished  himself  by  hi9 


GEORGE  £1. 


161 


military  talents,  was  directed  to  undertake  the  siege 
of  Quebec,  while  general  Amherst,  after  reducing 
Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point,  was  to  cross  the  lake 
Champlain,  and  join  Wolfe  under  the  walls  of  the  cap- 
ital of  Canada. 

The  British  forces  under  general  Wolfe  arrived  in 
the  river  of  St.  Lawrence,  and  encainped  near  the 
falls  of  the  Montinorenci.  M.  de  Montcalm,  the 
French  commander,  though  his  troops  were  superior 
in  number  to  the  invaders,  had  taken  every  precaution 
of  defence,  which  the  nature  of  the  country  afforded. 
The  city  of  Quebec  was  tolerably  fortified  ; and  Mont- 
calm, having  reinforced  the  troops  of  the  colony,  with 
this  army  occupied  an  advantageous  situation  from  the 
river  St.  Charles  to  the  falls  of  the  Montmorenci. 

On  the  last  day  of  July,  the  British  general  made 
dispositions  for  an  assault,  under  cover  of  the  fire  from 
the  ships  in  the  river  5 but  the  English  grenadiers,  im- 
petuously attacking  the  enemy’s  entrenchments  in  dis- 
order, were  repulsed  with  great  loss,  and  Wolfe  was 
obliged  to  retreat. 

This  mortifying  check  preyed  on  the  spirits  of  the 
gallant  Wolfe,  who  could  not  brook  the  most  distant 
prospect  of  censure  or  disgrace,  and  who  declared  that 
he  would  rather  die  than  fail  of  ultimate  success.  At 
length,  a new  plan  of  operations  was  concerted  for 
landing  the  troops  in  the  night  within  a league  of  Cape 
Diamond,  in  hopes  of  ascending  the  heights  of  Abra- 
ham, which  rise  abruptly  writh  a steep  ascent  from  the 
banks  of  the  river,  that  they  might  gain  possession  of 
the  grounds  on  the  back  of  the  city,  where  it  was  but 
slightly  fortified. 

This  plan  was  put  in  execution  5 and  the  troops  were 
disembarked  during  the  night,  with  secrecy  and  si- 
lence ; but  the  precipice  still  remained  to  be  ascend- 
ed. With  infinite  labour  and  difficulty,  the  Loops 
reached  the  summit  of  the  heights  of  Abraham,  and 
the  general  drew  them  up  in  order  of  battle  as  they 
arrived.  When  M.  de  Montcalm  understood  that  the 
English  had  gained  these  heights,  he  found  himself 
under  the  necessity  of  risking  an  engagement,  in  order 
to  save  the  town,  and  accordingly  advanced  his  men 
with  great  intrepidity.  A furious  contest  ensued,  and 
general  Wolfe,  who  stood  in  the  front  of  the  line,  ear 

VOL.  II.  11 


i62 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


ly  received  a shot  in  the  wrist,  to  which  he  paid  little* 
regard  j but,  advancing  at  the  head  of  the  grenadiers, 
another  ball  pierced  his  breast,  and  compelled  him  to 
quit  the  scene  of  action.  As  he  reclined  on  the  arm 
of  an  officer,  he  was  roused  by  the  exclamation,  u They 
run!  They  run!” — “ Who  run?”  said  the  brave 
Wolfe,  with  great  eagerness.  "The  French,”  replied 
the  officer.  "Then/'  said  he,  "I  die  contented  •” 
and  almost  immediately  expired  in  the  arms  of  vie 
tory. 

The  French  general,  M.  de  Montcalm,  was  also 
mortally  wounded  in  the  battle,  and  died  soon  after ; 
but  the  advantage  remained  wholly  on  the  side  of  the 
English.  Quebec  was  obliged  to  surrender,  and  at 
length  the  conquest  of  all  Canada  was  completed,  by 
the  capture  of  Montreal  under  general  Amherst. 

Success  indeed  attended  the  British  arms  in  every 
quarter  of  the  globe.  Fort  Louis  and  the  isle  of  Go- 
ree,  in  Africa,  submitted  to  the  British  ; as  did  also 
Gaudaloupe,  in  the  West-Indies.  Cherbourg  was  taken 
by  commodore  Howe,  and  Havre  de  Grace  bombarded 
by  admiral  Rodney. 

In  the  Mediterranean,  M.  de  la  Clue  was  defeated 
by  admiral  Boscawen,  who  took  four  of  his  ships  ; ana 
another  fleet  under  M.  de  Conflans  was  attacked  off* 
Quiberon-bay  by  sir  Edward  Hawke,  when  a furious 
battle  ensued,  and  night  alone  saved  the  French  from 
175Q1  destruction.  In  this  last  engagement,  twe 

-*  of  the  enemy’s  best  ships  were  sunk,  one  struck 
her  colours,  two  were  stranded  and  destroyed,  and  the 
Soleil  Royal,  the  flag-ship  of  the  French  admiral,  was 
burnt  by  her  own  crew,  to  prevent  her  from  falling  into 
the  hands  of  the  English. 

In  Germany  the  war  was  carried  on  with  great  vig- 
our, and  the  glory  of  the  British  arms  raised  to  the 
highest  pitch  ; and  though  the  efhpress  of  Russia  had 
acceded  to  the  alliance. concluded  between  the  courts 
of  Versailles  and  Vienna,  the  king  of  Prussia,  aided 
by  his  Britannic  majesty,  continued  to  make  head 
against  the  numerous  armies  of  those  powers. 

Such  was  the  general  posture  of  affairs,  when  George 
died,  on  the  25th  day  of  October,  in  the  77th 
-*  year  of  his  age,  and  the  34th  of  his  reign.  He 
was  at  his  palace  of  Kensington  ; and  having  risen  at 


GEORGE  II. 


iui 

jiis  usaal  hour,  he  observed  to  his  attendants,  that  as 
the  weather  was  fine,  he  would  walk  out.  In  a few 
minutes  after,  being  left  alone,  he.  was  heard  to  fa!! ; 
and,  being  lifted  on  the  bed,  he  desired,  in  a faint 
voice,  that  the  princess  Amelia  might  be  called  3 but 
before  she  could  arrive,  he  expired. 

George  the  Second  was  in  his  person  rather  below 
the  middle  size.  In  his  disposition  he  is  said  to  have 
been  prone  to  anger,  yet  soon  appeased  3 in  other  re- 
spects, he  was  mild  and  humane.  He  was  personally 
brave,  and  fond  of  war  as  a soldier.  Though  his  for- 
eign politics  cannot  be  commended,  his  internal  gov- 
ernment deserves  unqualified  praise. 

In  this  reign,  the  hopes  of  the  Stuart  party  and  fam- 
ily being  baffled,  and  the  legitimacy  of  the  Guelphs 
generally  recognised,  the  constitutional  government, 
as  adjusted  at  the  Revolution,  began  to  display  its  ex- 
cellencies and  faults,  and  to  acquire  its  full  force. 

Parliaments  were  regularly  converted,  for  the  de- 
spatch of  all  business  connected  with  the  improve- 
ment of  the  laws,  and  the  regulation  of  the  revenue  : 
and  the  prerogatives  of  the  sovereign,  and  the  rights 
of  the  legislature,  were  duly  recognised  and  balanced. 

The  king  chose  his  ministers,  and  these  were  ame- 
nable to  parliament  j while  the  latter  was  kept  in  good 
humour  by  the  influence  anc  patronage  of  the  minis- 
ters. The  office  of  prime-minister  began  now  to  dis- 
tinguish our  councils.  The  first  who  merited  the 
name  was  sir  Robert  Walpole,  a favourite  confidential 
minister  of  George  the  first  and  Second  3 and  the  na- 
tion, under  him  and  his  successors,  presented  the 
spectacle  of  a sovereign  contented  with  the  splendour 
of  his  crown,  and  with  the  manifestation  of  his  power, 
under  the  advice  and  responsibility  of  his  ministers  3 
of  a parliament  whose  majorities  were  governed  by 
the  influence  of  thenninister,  and  the  moderation  and 
plausibility  < f his  measures  3 and  of  a people  obedient 
to  the  laws,  the  operation  of  which  they  had  The- pow- 
er of  controlling  by  juries  formed  from  their  own 
body. 

Such  a state  of  society  continued  through  an  entire 
generation,  begat  confidence  at  home  and  respect 
abroad.  The  public  securities  rose  in  value,  com 
merce  increased,  domestic  improvements  were  made 


>61  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

and  the  capabilities  of  the  nation  in  arts,  arms,  Ano 
industry,  began  to  develop  themselves,  and  prepare 
the  way  for  the  more  decisive  events  of  the  succeed- 
ing reign. 


[ 165  ] 

CONTINUATION, 

FROM 

THE  ACCESSION  OF  GEORGE  III. 

TO  THE 

CORONATION  OF  GEORGE  IV. 


CHAPTER  X. 

The  Reign  of  George  III. 

On  the  decease  of  George  II.,  the  eldest  son  of  Fre- 
17601  (*er*c>  Pr*nce  of  Wales,  succeeded  his  grandfa- 

1 J ther,  under  the  most  favourable  auspices  ; as 
the  third  of  his  name  and  family. 

This  young  and  native  sovereign,  whose  character 
and  alTabihty  of  deportment  rendered  him  the  object 
of  esteem,  was  greeted  by  the  enthusiasm  of  the  peo- 
ple. “ Born  and  educated  in  this  country  ” said  his 
majesty,  in  his  first  speech  to  parliament,  “ I glory  in 
the  name  of  Briton.” 

The  parliament,  with  the  general  approbation,  vo- 
ted the  clear  yearly  sum  of  800,000Z.  for  the  main- 
tenance of  his  majesty’s  household  and  the  support 
of  the  royal  dignity,  in  lieu  of  the  civil-list  revenues, 
which  had  been  formerly  appropriated  for  the  sover- 
eigns of  this  country.  This  was  followed  by  a wise 
and  liberal  regulation,  by  which  the  judges  were  ren- 
dered independent  of  the  crown,  and  which,  as  it  pass- 
ed on  the  recommendation  of  the  king,  justly  gained 
his  majesty  universal  applause. 

The  war,  however,  was  prosecuted  with  unabated 
vigour.  The  island  of  Belleisle  surrendered  to  com- 
modore Keppel  and  general  Hodgson.  In  the  East 
Indies,  the  French  were  devested  of  all  their  posses- 
sions of  importance  j and.  Pondicherry,  their  capital 
settlement,  was  reduced  by  colonel  Coote  and  admi- 
ral Stevens.  In  the  West  Indies,  Martinico,  and  some 
other  islands,  were  added  to  the  list  of  British  con 
quests. 


166 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


During  these  transactions,  Mr.  Pitt,  with  thatsagac 
ity  and  intuitive  foresight  which  characterize  an  able 
statesman,  anticipating  the  hostile  designs  of  Spain, 
proposed  an  immediate  declaration  of  war  against 
that  kingdom  3 but  this  measure  being  opposed  by  his 
colleagues  in  office,  and  finding  that  the  earl  of  Bute, 
who  had  been  governor  to  his  majesty,  had  acquired 
an  ascendency  in  the  royal  favour,  he  disdained  to 
act  a subordinate  part,  resigned  the  seals,  and  retir 
ed  with  a pension  and  a peerage  for  his  lady. 

Lord  Bute,  who  had  been  previously  appointed  one 
of  the  principal  secretaries  of  state,  was  now  supposed 
to  influence  the  decisions  of  government  3 but,  before 
the  end  of  the  year,  the  ministry  found  it  necessary 
to  adopt  the  measure  recommended  by  Mr.  Pitt,  and 
to  declare  war  against  Spain.  Havannah,  Manilla, 
and  all  the  Philippine  islands,  became,  in  consequence, 
the  reward  of  British  valour. 

Amidst  these  successes,  however,  the  restoration 
of  peace  was  equally  desired  by  the  victors  and  the 
vanquished  5 and  after  some  time  had  been  spent  in 
17GS1  negoliati°n>  a definitive  treaty  was  signed  a f 
J Paris  on  th3  10th  of  February,  and  peace  sol 
emnly  proclaimed  in  London,  on  the  22d  of  the  follow 
ing  mouth.  By  this  treaty,  Great-Britain  obtained 
the  extensive  province  of  Canada,  East  Florida,  West 
Florida,  the  Grenadas  in  the  West  Indies,  and  some 
inferior  acquisitions  ; but  restored  all  the  other  con- 
quests made  during  the  war.  These  terms  were  con- 
sidered in  England  as  degrading  to  the  nation  3 and 
clamours  were  raised  against  the  administration  of 
lord  Bute,  who  had  never  been  a favourite  with  the 
people. 

About  this  time,  too,  the  daring  spirit  of  John 
Wilkes,  Esq.,  who  sat  in  parliament  for  Aylesbury, 
contributed  to  hasten  the  downfall  of  the  premier. 
This  man  published  a paper  called  “ The  North  Brit- 
on/7 in  which  he  attacked  the  minister  with  great  as- 
perity, and  indulged  in  the  grossest  scuriility  against 
the  whole  Scottish  nation.  Churchill,  the  poet,  em- 
ployed his  satirical  powers  in  the  same  cause  3 and 
the  ferment  excited  by  those  two  able,  but  profligate 
characters,  was  so  great,  that  the  earl  of  Bute  thought 
proper  to  resign  his  office  of  first  lord  of  the  treasury, 


/ 


GEORGE  III.  161 

m which  he  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  George  Gren 
ville. 

One  of  the  first  acts  of  the  new  minister  was  the 
prosecution  of  Mr.  Wilkes,  who,  in  the  North  Briton, 
No.  4o,  had  asserted,  that  his  majesty’s  speech,  which 
he  atfected  to  consider  as  the  minister’s,  contained  a 
falsehood.  In  consequence  of  this  violation  of  all 
decorum,  Mr.  Wilkes  was  apprehended  by  virtue  of  a 
general  warrant,  his  papers  were  seized,  and  he  was 
committed  to  the  Tower.  In  the  court  of  common 
pleas,  however,  Mr.  Wilkes  was  acquitted  of  the 
charge  exhibited  against  him  j and,  lord  chief  justice 
Pratt  declared,  that  general  warrants  were  illegal. 

Mr.  Grenville  possessed  integrity  and  abilities,  but 
he  wanted  a sound  discriminating  judgment.  In  order 
to  raise  a revenue  from  the  American  colonies,  he 
projected  a stamp-act,  which,  being  resisted  by  the 
Americans,  was  afterwards  repealed  ; but  the  attempt 
and  its  failure  laid  the  foundation  for  that  fatal  contest, 
which  at  length  terminated  in  the  independence  of  the 
American  colonies. 

The  name  of  the  princess  of  Wales  having  been 
17651  orn^te(^  in  bill  for  appointing  a regency,  in 
‘ ■*  consequence  of  his  majesty’s  illness,  the  king, 
after  recovering  from  his  indisposition,  determined  to 
change  his  ministers  ; and  the  marquis  of  Rockingham 
was  placed  at  the  head  of  a new  administration.  The 
highly  respectable  character  of  the  marquis,  however, 
could  not  secure  the  new  ministers  a continuance  in 
office.  Possessing  a great  share  of  moderation  in 
principles,  their  opponents  effectually  made  head 
against  them;  and  the  duke  of  Grafton  became  first 
lord  of  the  treasury  5 while  Mr.  Pitt,  who  was  now 
raised  to  the  dignity  of  earl  of  Chatham,  accepted  the 
office  of  privy-seal. 

Mr.  Charles  Townshend,  the  chancellor  of  the  ex- 
nrn  chequer,  who  possessed  eminent  talents  foi 
J business,  but  too  much  versatility  of  disposition, 
unhappily  revived  the  design  of  taxing  America,  though 
taxation  and  representation  cannot  constitutionally  be 
separated  5 and,  while  the  earl  of  Chatham  was  confined 
by  extreme  illness,  he  brought  in  a bill  for  imposing  a 
duty  on  tea,  and  some  other  articles  imported  into  the 
colonies.  Against  this  design,  the  Americans  formed 


163 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


R general  combination  for  not  receiving  any  of  the 
commodities  thus  taxed,  from  the  mother  country  ; 
and,  the  acts  were  again  repealed,  except  as  far  as 
related  to  the  duties  on  tea.  This  concession,  however 
gave  little  satisfaction  to  the  Americans,  who  consid- 
ered the  late  acts  as  unconstitutional,  and  proposed  a 
general  union  of  the  colonies  for  defending  their  natu- 
ral rights. 

Meanwhile  Mr.  /Townshend  died,  and  li is  place  of 
chancellor  of  the  exchequer  was  filled  by  lord  North. 
Some  other  changes  also  took  place  ; and  the  earl  of 
Chatham,  who  had  long  been  treated  with  disregard 
either  on  account  of  his  infirmities,  or  his  unconiply 
ing  disposition,  resigned  his  office  of  privy-seal,  ar.d 
from  this  time  lived  unconnected  with  the  affairs  of 
government,  though  he  frequently  took  an  active  part 
in  the  interesting  debates  which  agitated  this  period. 

The  discontents  which  had  been  produced  in  Amer- 
171^1  ica  by  the  insidious,  not  to  say  unjust  designs 
J of  the  ministry,  were  about  to  break  out  into  c 
flame,  that  spread  into  a general  conflagration.  Laws 
having  been  passed  for  quartering  troops  in  the  colo- 
nies, and  for  rendering  the  governors  of  the  different 
provinces  solely  dependant  on  the  crown,  the  Amen 
cans,  in  order  to  show  their  aversion  to  the  measures 
of  the  British  government,  and  their  determination  to 
resist,  destroyed  a large  quantity  of  tea  at  Boston,  and 
• obliged  ships  laden  with  the  same  commodity  to  return 
from  other  places  without  landing  their  cargoes.  In 
consequence  of  these  proceedings,  acts  were  passed 
for  shutting  up  the  port  of  Boston,  and  for  altering 
the  constitution  of  Massachusetts  Bay  and  Quebec. 

This  violent  stretch  of  power  exciteci  the  utmost 
indignation  in  America ; and  the  colonies  entered  into 
a solemn  league  and  covenant  to  suspend  all  commer- 
cial intercourse  with  Great  Britain,  till  the  obnoxious 
acts  were  repealed.  Meanwhile,  measures  were  adopt- 
ed for  holding  a general  congress  of  the  American 
colonies  ; and  a bold  and  spirited  remonstrance,  solic- 
iting a redress  of  grievances,  was  addressed  to  the 
king.  All  remonstrances  and  petitions,  however,  being 
equally  disregarded,  and  every  avenue  to  accommoda- 
tion, except  by  implicit  submission,  shut  up,  the 
Americans  determined  to  have  recourse  to  arms,  as 


GEORGE  III  169 

the  only  means  left  for  defending  their  unalienable 
rights. 

On  the  19th  of  April,  general  Gage,  commander-in 
chief,  having  been  informed  that  the  Americana 
1 * had  collected  military  stores  at  Concord,  sent  a 

detachment  to  seize  them.  The  detachment  was 
attacked  at  Lexington,  and  many  were  killed  on  both 
sides  5 but  the  loss  on  the  side  of  the  British  far  ex- 
ceeded that  of  their  opponents. 

The  torch  of  civil  war  being  thus  lighted  up,  the 
colonists  flew  to  «rms  as  if  by  concert,  and  assumed 
the  title  of  u the  United  States  of  America,77  whose 
affairs  were  to  be  managed  by  a congress.  This  body 
of  representatives  instantly  passed  resolutions  for 
raising  an  army,  for  issuing  a paper  currency  for  its 
payment,  and  for  prohibiting  all  importations  to  those 
places  which  still  remained  faithful  in  their  allegiance 
to  the  crown  of  Great-Britain. 

A few  weeks  after  this  engagement,  the  British 
army  in  America  was  strengthened  by  a large  rein- 
forcement, which  arrived  from  England,  under  the 
command  of  generals  Howe,  Burgoyne,  and  Clinton. 
MartiaLlaw  was  now  proclaimed;  but  the  congress 
was  not  easily,  intimidated ; and,  voting  that  the  com- 
pact between  the  crown  and  the  inhabitants  of  Massa- 
chusetts Bay  was  dissolved,  they  recommended  that 
province  to  resume  its  chartered  rights. 

As  further  hostilities  were  now  mutually  expected, 
the  Americans,  that  they  might  secure  Charlestown, 
sent  a detachment  of  men  at  night  to  erect  some 
considerable  works  on  Bunker’s  Hill.  When  these 
operations  were  discovered  in  the  morning,  a heavy 
ft  re  commenced  from  the  ships;  and  the  Americans 
were  with  difficulty  driven  from  their  intrenchments 
by  generals  Howe  and  Pigot.  In  this  action,  which 
was  very  severe,  the  loss  of  the  British  in  killed  and 
wounded  amounted  nearly  to  half  their  number,  and 
17751  ^nc^u<^e<^  many  officers.  After  this  affair,  the 
■*  colonists  threw  up  works  on  another  hill  oppo- 
site ; and  the  British  troops  were  closely  invested  in 
the  peninsula. 

The  general  congress  published  a very  animated 
declaration,  in  which  their  reasons  for  taking  up  arms 
were  assigned,  an  1 the  objects  for  which  they  con- 


170 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND 


tended  were  distinctly  pointed  out.  They  aJso  np 
pointed  George  Washington  general  and  commander 
in  chief  of  the  American  forces.  This  gentleman  had 
acquired  some  experience  in  the  last  war,  when  he 
commanded  different  bodies  of  provincials;  and  his 
conduct  and  military  skill  fully  justified  the  partiality 
of  his  countrymen.  Another  petition  to  the  king  was 
also  voted  by  congress,  in  which  they  earnestly  be- 
seeched  his  majesty  to  adopt  some  method  of  putting 
a stop  to  the  unhappy  contest  between  Great-Britain 
and  the  colonies;  but  this  petition,  though  presented 
by  Mr.  Penn,  late  governor,  and  one  of  the  proprietors 
of  Pennsylvania,  did  not  obtain  an  answer. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Americans,  prepared  for  eve- 
ry event,  and  animated  with  the  enthusiasm  of  a peo- 
ple contending  for  liberty,  no  longer  confined  them- 
selves to  defensive  operations.  Ticonderoga  and 
Crown  Point  had  already  been  taken  by  a party  of 
Americans;  and  it  was  determined  to  fit  out  an  expe- 
dition against  Canada,  under  generals  Montgomery 
and  Arnold  ; but  in  an  attempt  against  Quebec,  Mont- 
gomery fell,  and  Arnold,  after  being  dangerously 
wounded,  was  compelled  to  make  a precipitate  retreat 

The  state  of  the  royal  army  at  Boston  had  now 
become  deplorable.  By  a masterly  stroke,  Washing- 
ton compelled  the  British  to  abandon  the  town;  and 
all  the  English  troops,  with  such  loyalists  as  chose 
to  accompany  them,  were  precipitately  embark- 
J ed  and  conveyed  to  Halifax.  Next  day,  general 
Washington  entered  Boston  in  triumph. 

Soon  after,  congress,  in  a solemn  declaration,  with- 
drew all  allegiance  from  the  king  of  Great  Britain 
and  assumed  for  the  colonies  the  style  and  character 
of  “Free  and  independent  States.”  They  also  pub- 
lished articles  of  confederation  and  perpetual  union 
between  the  provinces ; while  in  proportion  as  the 
prospect  of  bringing  them  to  submission  was  lessened 
the  arrogance  and  infatuation  of  the  British  ministry, 
at  the  head  of  whom  was  lord  North,  seemed  to  in- 
crease. 

An  unsuccessful  attempt  w as  made  upoi  Charles 
town,  in  which  the  English  suffered  severely ; but 
about  the  same  time,  general  Howe  obtained  posses 
6ion  of  New-York  and  general  Clinton  and  sir  Pete: 


GEORGE  III. 


171 


F.tiker  took  Rhode-Island.  General  Howe,  and  his 
brother,  admiral  lord  Howe,  were  regarded  with  par- 
tiality by  the  Americans  ; and  some  overtures  of  re 
conciliation  were  made  by  the  two  brothers;  but  the 
manifesto  which  they  published,  offered  only  pardon 
to  the  colonists,  and  produced  no  beneficial  purpose. 

The  ill  success  of  the  Americans,  however,  was 
productive  of  those  internal  effects  which  operate  as 
strongly  as  external  force  ; and  at  this  period,  if  terms 
of  concession  had  been  offered  by  Great  Britain,  the 
constitutional  supremacy  of  the  mother  country  might 
probably  have  been  acknowledged  ; but  the  time  of 
conciliation  was  neglected,  and  the  infatuation  of  min- 
isters prevailed. 

In  the  next  campaign,  the  Americans  were  defeated 
oy  general  Howe  in  the  battle  of  Brandywine  ; and 
the  English  entered  Philadelphia  in  triumph.  On  the 
other  hand,  general  Burgoyne,  who  had  set  out 

' -*  from  Quebec  with  an  army  of  ten  thousand 
men,  in  order  to  form  a line  of  communication  be- 
tween New-york  and  Canada,  after  driving  the  Ameri- 
cans before  him  for  some  time,  was  at  last  surrounded 
at  Saratoga  by  general  Gates,  and  obliged  to  lay  down 
his  arms. 

The  success  of  the  Americans  now  determined  the 
17781  court  France  to  declare  in  favour  of  the  new 
republic;  and  so  gloomy  was  the  prospect  of 
Great  Britain,  that  ministers  sent  commissioners  to 
America  to  treat  of  peace  ; but  this  attempt  at  con- 
ciliation was  of  no  essential  service. 

Hostilities  commenced  with  France,  by  a naval  en- 
gagement between  admirable  Kepple  and  count  a’Or- 
villiers  ; and  victory  would  have  been  decisive  in  fa- 
vour of  the  British, .if  sir  Hugh  Palliser  had  obeyed 
the  signals  of  the  admiral.  Both  officers  were  tried 
before  a court-martial.  Palliser,  though  found  guilty, 
was  only  slightly  censured  ; while  admiral  Kepple  was 
honourably  acquitted. 

Meanwhile,  Pondicherry  in  the  East,  and  the  island 
of  St.  Lucia  in  the  West  Indies,  were  captured  by  the 
English ; but  Dominica,  St.  Vincent,  and  Grenada, 
were  taken  by  the  French,  who  assisted  the  Ameri 
cans  with  a fleet,  commanded  by  the  count  d7Fstaign. 
In  attempting  the  relief  of  Grenada,  an  indecisive 


172 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


17791  enga?ement  took  place  between  admiral  Byron 
with  a fleet  of  twenty-one  ships,  and  the  count 
d’Estaign,  who  had  twenty-five  or  twenty-six  ships  of 
the  line,  besides  twelve  frigates,  under  his  command. 
After  this  action,  the  French  admiral,  in  conjunction 
with  the  Americans,  attempted  the  reduction  of  Sa- 
vannah, but  was  frustrated  by  general  Prevost.  In 
Europe,  the  French  made  a descent  with  a considera 
ble  force  on  Jersey,  but  were  repulsed  by  the  promp- 
titude of  major  Pearson,  the  English  commandant, 
who  fell  in  the  moment  of  victory,  at  the  head  of  his 
small  corps. 

Before  the  close  of  this  session,  his  majesty  an- 
nounced to  parliament  that  Spain  had  joined  the  alii 
ance  against  England ; and  this  new  enemy  joining  the 
French  with  thirty  ships  of  the  line,  the  combined 
fleets  of  those  two  neighbouring  powers  for  some 
time  rode  triumphant  in  the  British  channel,  and  men- 
aced the  English  coast  with  impunity.  Spain  also 
took  New-Orleans  on  the  Mississippi,  and  closely  in- 
vested Gibraltar. 

Admiral  sir  George  Rodney,  being  appointed  to  the 
17801  naval  command  in  the  West-Indies,  ob- 

-*  tained  a complete  victory  over  a Spanish  fleet 
of  eleven  sail  off  Cape  St.  Vincent;  and  after  reliev- 
ing Gibraltar,  he  proceeded  to  execute  his  ulterior  or- 
ders, and  had  three  indecisive  engagements  with  the 
French  fleet  in  the  West-Indies. 

In  June,  the  same  year,  happened  one  of  the  most 
dreadful  riots  in  London  which  history  records.  It 
arose  from  the  fanaticism  of  an  association  of  protest- 
ant  sectaries,  who  fancied  that  religion  was  in  danger, 
on  account  of  some  just  and  equitable  indulgences 
which  the  legislature  had  recently  granted  to  the  Ro- 
man catholics.  A mob,  collected  by  a procession  of 
this  association,  pulled  down  or  burnt  several  popish 
chapels,  broke  open  many  of  the  prisons,  and  liberated 
both  felons  and  debtors.  In  a few  days,  however,  the 
riots  were  quelled,  and  lord  George  Gordon,  the  presi- 
dent of  the  association,  was  committed  to  the  Tower. 

From  the  agitations  of  war  and  faction,  we  turn 
with  pleasure  to  the  progress  made  by  science  and  ihe 
arts,  under  the  munificent  patronage  of  George  the 
Third.  Byron,  who  was  commissioned  in  1764  to  ex- 


GEORGE  III. 


173 


plore  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  oceans,  and  circumnav- 
igate tne  globe,  corrected  by  his  observations  the  er- 
rors of  former  charts,  and  discovered  several  islands 
in  the  South  Pacific.  A few  years  after,  captain  Wal- 
lis sailed  on  a similar  expedition,  and,  on  the  19th  of 
June,  1767,  perpetuated  his  name  by  the  discovery  of 
Otaheite,  (or  King  George’s  Island,)  in  the  South  Pa- 
cific, and  of  other  islands  in  the  same  ocean  Carte- 
ret also  traversed  the  Pacific,  and  circumnavigated 
the  globe.  Each  of  these  navigators  contributed  an 
accession  of  geographical  knowledge. 

To  Captain  James  Cook,  however,  more  than  to 
any  other  individual  since  the  time  of  Columbus,  we 
are  indebted  for  extending  the  boundaries  of  geograph- 
ical science.  In  his  first  voyage  to  the  Pacific  ocean, 
in  1770,  he  discovered  the  Society  Islands,  determin- 
ed the  insularity  of  New  Zealand,  and  explored  the 
eastern  coast  of  New-Holland.  In  his  second  voyage, 
in  1773,  he  discovered  New  Caledonia,  the  island  of 
Georgia,  and  an  unknown  coast,  which  he  named 
Sandwich  Land.  In  1776,  another  voyage  of  discove- 
ry being  proposed  by  the  government,  the  Resolution 
and  Discovery  were  fitted  out  for  that  purpose,  and 
captains  Cook  and  Clerke  were  appointed  to  this  ex- 
pedition. This  last  voyage  was  particularly  distin- 
guished by  the  extent  and  importance  of  its  discove- 
ries. Besides  several  small  islands  in  the  South  Pa- 
cific, Cook  discovered  the  group  of  islands  called  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  explored  the  western  coast  of 
America  from  the  latitude  of  forty-three  to  seventy 
degrees  north,  and  ascertained  the  proximty  of  the  two 
great  continents  of  Asia  and  America.  In  September, 
1780,  the  Resolution  and  Discovery  returned  to  Eng- 
land from  this  voyage  round  the  world,  but  to  the 
grief  of  every  person  who  respected  worth  and  tal- 
ents, without  captain-  Cook,  who  had  been  unfortu- 
nately killed  by  the  natives  of  Owyhee,  one  of  the 
Sandwich  Islands  which  he  had  discovered. 

This  year  was  also  memorable  for  the  armed  neu- 
trality entered  into  by  the  northern  powers,  for  the 
purpose  of  resisting  the  English  in  exercising  the 
right  of  searching  neutral  vessels,  on  the  principle 
that 11  free  bottoms  make  free  goods.”  It  being  dis- 
covered that  the  States-General  had  concluded  a trea 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


174 


ty  with  the  American  government,  England  declaied 
war  against  Holland. 

The  Dutch  island  of  St.  Eustatius,  and  the  settle- 
ments ofDemarara,  Berbice,and  Issequibo,  submitted 
to  the  British;  and  a severe  engagement  took  place 
between  admiral  sir  Hyde  Parker  and  the  fleet  of  Hol- 
land off  the  Dogger  Bank,  but  without  any  decisive  is- 
sue on  either  side. 

In  America,  alternate  successes  and  reverses  at- 
tended the  arms  of  Britain  ; but  even  victory  was  fa- 
tal to  England,  while  defeats  were  doubly  injurious, 
and  rendered  the  colonists  certain  of  a prosperous  is- 
sue. Indeed,  the  cause  of  Britain  in  this  contest  with 
her  American  colonies  daily  declined,  and  became 
more  desperate.  Earl  Cornwallis,  who  had  distin- 
guished himself  on  various  occasions,  was  at  length 
1 TP  1 1 surrounded  by  general  Washington,  assisted  by 
-*  the  marquis  de  la  Fayette,  and  obliged  to  sur- 
render the  whole  of  his  forces,  amounting  to  seven 
thousand  men,  to  the  combined  French  and  American 
army,  at  York  Town,  in  Virginia;  an  event  which  ter- 
minated the  hopes  of  the  British  government  in  Amer- 
ica, and  ended  the  war. 

About  the  same  time,  St.  Eustatius  was  recovered 
from  the  English  ; and  the  Spaniards  made  themselves 
masters  of  YVest  Florida.  The  siege  of  Gibraltar  was 
also  carried  on  with  vigour ; but  the  place  was  very 
ably  defended  by  the  heroic  governor,  general  Elliot. 

In  the  East-Indies,  Hyder  Ally,  the  confederate  of 
France,  took  Arcot  by  assault,  and  cut  to  pieces,  or 
made  prisoners  of  a detachment  under  colonel  Bail- 
lie.  Sir  Eyre  Coote,  however,  defeated  Hyder  in  two 
subsequent  engagements,  relieved  Vellore,  and  re- 
trieved the  fortune  of  the  war  in  the  Carnatic. 

After  the  surrender  of  earl  Cornwallis  to  genera} 
Washington,  the  influence  of  the- British  ministry  was 
at  an  end  ; and  a change  of  measures  appearing  abso- 
17°21  lutely  necessary,  a complete  revolution  in  the 

° -*  cabinet  took  place  on  the  27th  of  March  under 
the  auspices  of  the  marquis  of  Rockingham,  who  was 
appointed  first  lord  of  the  treasury.  The  earl  of  Shel- 
burne and  Mr.  Fox  were  appointed  secretaries  of 
state. 

Peace  was  now  ardently  desired  by  all  ranks  of  peo- 


GEORGE  III 


175 


p’e  in  this  country;  and  the  new  ministry  consented 
tliat  the  independence  of  America  should  be  allowed, 
and  entered  into  measures  for  effectuating  a general 
treaty  of  pacification.  For  this  purpose,  Mr.  Gren- 
ville was  sent  to  Paris,  with  full  powers  to  treat  with 
all  the  belligerent  nations,  and  orders  were  despatch- 
ed to  the  commanders  in  chief  in  America,  to  ac- 
quaint them  with  the  pacific  views  of  the  British  cab- 
inet, and  with  the  offer  of  independence  to  the  Unit- 
ed States. 

After  the  capture  of  lord  Cornwallis  and  his  army, 
the  English  suffered  a series  of  losses  in  America. 
The  French  took  Nevis,  St.  Christopher’s,  and  Mont- 
serrat; the  Bahama  islands  surrendered  to  the  Span- 
iards; and  Jamaica  was  threatened  by  the  fleets  of 
Spain  and  France,  on  board  of  which  was  an  army  of 
twenty  thousand  men.  This  formidable  armament, 
however,  was  prevented  from  uniting  by  the  prompti- 
tude and  bravery  of  admiral  Rodney,  who  engaged  and 
totally  defeated  the  French  under  count  de  Grasse, 
before  it  could  form  a junction  with  the  Spanish  fleet. 
The  French  admiral,  in  the  Ville  de  Paris  of  120  guns, 
was  taken,  with  two  seventy-four  gun  ships,  and  one 
of  sixty-four  guns.  Two  other  ships  of  the  line  were 
lost  in  the  action  ; and  a few  days  after,  sir  Samuel 
Hood  captured  two  more  French  ships  of  the  line  and 
two  frigates.  This  decisive  and  glorious  victory, 
which  was  achieved  on  the  12th  of  April,  put  a stop  to 
the  intended  project  against  Jamaica ; and  admiral 
Rodney,  in  reward  for  his  services,  was  gratified  with 
a peerage  and  a pension. 

The  valour  of  the  British  arms  was  most  remarkably 
displayed  at  Gibraltar,  where  the  English,  under  that 
brave  veteran  general  Elliot,  acquired  immortal  hon- 
our, and  converted  one  of  the  most  formidable  at- 
c . tacks  that  had  ever  been  made  in  the  history 
* of  sieges,  to  the  destruction  of  the  assailants, 
and  the  frustration  of  all  the  hopes  of  the  ene- 
' my.  The  enthusiasm  and  gallantry  of  Elliot 
and  his  garrison  were  emulated  by  lord  Howe  and  the 
fleet.  To  the  admiration  of  all  Europe,  that  brave  ad- 
miral, with  thirty-four  sail  of  the  line,  passed  the 
straits  in  the  faoe  of  a superior  enemy,  and  threw  sue 
crurs  in  the  fortress. 


176 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


This  was  the  last  transaction  of  importance  during 
the  continuance  of  the  war  in  Europe  ; and  thus  the 
military  career  of  Britain,  after  her  repeated  misfor- 
tunes, terminated  with  great  splendour.  All  the  bel- 
ligerent powers  were  now  inclined  to  listen  to  over- 
tures of  pacification.  The  happy  prospect,  however, 
of  peace  and  prosperity  was  obscured  for  a time  by  the 
death  of  the  marquis  of  Rockingham,  from  whose  ad- 
ministration the  nation  had  formed  great  expectations. 
He  was  succeeded  by  the  earl  of  Shelburne,  and  Mr. 
Fox  resigned  his  office  of  secretary  of  the  northern 
department. 

The  new  ministers,  however,  continued  the  nego- 
tiation for  peace  ; and  as  the  independence  of  Ameri- 
ca was  virtually  recognised,  the  war  with  the  colonies 
had  in  fact  terminated.  At  length,  on  the  30th  of 
November,  1782,  provisional  articles  between  Eng 
land  and  America,  were  signed  at  Paris.  By  this  trea 
ty,  the  sovereignty  and  independence  of  the  Unit- 
ed States  were  fully  acknowledged.  So  great,  in- 
deed, were  the  concessions  of  ministers  on  this  occa- 
sion, that  they  neglected  the  interest  of  the  loyalists 
in  America,  whose  estates  had  been  confiscated,  and 
who  were  thus  thrown  on  the  generosity  of  the  Brit- 
ish. 

In  our  treaties  with  the  French,  the  Dutch,  and  the 
J7P31  Spaniards,  the  same  improvident  facility  was 
-*  apparent  5 and  these  treaties,  when  submitted 
to  parliament,  extorted  the  severest  animadversions. 
By  this  calamitous  war,  Great  Britain  lost  the  best 
part  of  her  transatlantic  colonies,  and,  besides  many 
thousands  of  valuable  lives,  expended  or  squandered 
nearly  150  millions  of  money.  The  address  of  thanks 
for  the  peace  was  carried  in  the  house  of  lords  by  a 
majority  of  72  to  59,  but  lost  in  the  house  of  commons 
by  a majority  of  224  to  208. 

It  was  now  discovered  that  Mr,  Fox,  in  his  animos- 
ity to  the  earl  of  Shelburne,  had  formed  a coalition 
with  his  former  political  antagonist,  lord  North.  This 
unnatural  and  unprincipled  coalition,  which  excit 
ed  general  indignation,  was  defended  by  Mr.  Fox 
on  the  strange  plea,  that  the  question  of  American  in- 
dependence being  now  at  rest,  he  had  no  desire  tc 
perpetuate  his  enmity  to  a statesman  whom  he  had 


GEORGE  III. 


177 


Found  honourable  as  an  adversary,  and  of  whose  open- 
ness and  sincerity  as  a friend  he  had  no  doubt. 

Their  united  opposition  prevailed,  and  a change 
took  place  in  the  ministry.  The  duke  of  Portland  was 
placed  at  the  head  of  the  treasury,  lord  John  Caven- 
dish was  made  chancellor  of  the  exchequer,  and  lord 
North  and  Mr.  Fox  were  appointed  joint  secretaries 
of  state.  The  coalition  administration  became  the 
theme  of  universal  and  passionate  execration  ; and 
when  public  confidence  is  once  lost,  it  can  never  be 
completely  regained. 

Mr.  Pitt,  the  son  of  the  immortal  earl  of  Chatham, 
and  who  afterwards  rivalled  his  father’s  glory,  made  a 
motion  for  a parliamentary  reform,  and  proposed  to 
add  one  hundred  members  to  the  counties,  and  abol- 
ish a proportionable  number  of  the  obnoxious  bor- 
oughs. This  plan,  though  certainly  the  most  judi- 
cious that  has  yet  been  proposed  for  the  independence 
of  parliamentary  representation,  was  negatived  by  a 
>rge  majority. 

Soon  after  the  meeting  of  parliament  in  November, 
Mr.  Fox  introduced  a bill  for  regulating  the  affairs  of 
the  East-India  Company.  This  famous  bill  proposed 
to  deprive  the  directors  and  proprietors  of  the  entire 
administration,  not  only  of  their  territorial,  but  also 
of  their  commercial  affairs,  and  to  vest  the  manage- 
ment and  direction  of  them  in  seven  commissioners 
named  in  the  bill,  and  irremovable  by  the  crown,  ex- 
cept in  consequence  of  an  address  of  either  house  of 
parliament.  It  passed  through  the  lower  house  by  a 
great  majority,  but  was  lost  in  the  upper,  after  very 
animated  debates,  in  which  its  unconstitutional  prin- 
ciples were  fully  exposed. 

• The  king,  being  informed  of  the  nature  and  tenden- 
cy of  this  bill,  considered  himself  duped  and  deceiv- 
ed ; and  the  coalition  ministry,  which  had  been  deserv- 
edly unpopular,  were  suddenly  dismissed.  Mr.  Pitt, 
then  a very  young  man,  was  declared  first  lord  of  the 
treasury  and  chancellor  of  the  exchequer  ; the  mar- 
quis of  Caermarthen,  and  Mr.  Thomas  Townsend, 
created  lord  Sydney,  were  nominated  secretaries  of 
state  ; and  lord  Thurlow  was  appointed  to  the  office 
of  lord-chancellor.  The  intelligence  of  this  change 
was  received  by  the  nation  with  transports  of  joy, 

VOL.  ii.  12 


178 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


The  discarded  ministers,  however,  still  maintained 
their  influence  in  the  house  of  commons  ; and  the  sin- 
gular spectacle  was  exhibited  of  a minister  retaining 
his  situation  in  defiance  of  the  votes  of  the  com* 
mons,  and  of  an  opposition  restraining  the  power 
of  the  executive,  by  prohibiting  the  issuing  of  pay- 
ments from  the  bank  or  the  exchequer,  for  the  pub- 
lic service.  At  length,  after  strong  and  repeated  con- 
Marcli  tcsts  between  the  two  factions,  during  which 
d-  1 the  minister  found  himself  frequently  in  a mi- 
1784  nority>ll,e  Parliament  was  dissolved  by  procht- 
° * mation,  and  a new  one  convened.  So  com- 
plete was  the  rout  of  the  coalition  party,  that  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  members  who  lost  their  seats,  at  the 
general  election,  nearly  the  whole  were  the  friends 
either  of  Mr.  Fox  or  lord  North. 

The  arrangements  of  a plan  for  the  future  govern- 
ment of  India,  was  the  most  important  business  to 
which  the  attention  of  the  new  parliament  was  first  di- 
rected. The  bill  which  Mr.  Pitt  introduced  for  that 
purpose,  was  carried  through  tiie  house  of  commons 
by  a great  majority  j and  in  the  upper  house,  though 
strongly  opposed,  it  passed  with  a few  dissenting 
votes. 

In  the  next  session,  Mr.  Pitt  brought  forward  his 
17°M  P^an  *or  a re^orm  *n  the  representation,  var}ing 
u ■*  in  some  measure  from  his  former  project,  but 
in  every  respect  temperate  and  judicious.  The  re- 
sult of  this  plan  was  to  give  one  hundred  members  to 
the  popular  interest,  and  to  extend  the  elective  fran- 
chise to  more  than  one  hundred  thousand  persons, 
who,  by  the  existing  laws,  were  excluded  from  vot- 
ing for  members  of  parliament.  After  a debate  of 
considerable  length,  in  which  Mr.  Fox  bestowed  on 
the  plan  a just  and  liberal  tribute  of  praise,  the  bill 
was  rejected  by  a majority  of  274  to  174.  Mr.  Pitt 
was  equally  unsuccessful  in  attempting  to  settle  the 
commerce  of  England  and  Ireland  on  a mutual  and 


equitable  footing.  His  propositions,  which  werje 
amended  in  the  house  of  lords,  passed  in  England 
with  difficulty  ; but,  in  the  Irish  parliament,  they  were 
rejected  with  marked  disapprobation. 

Among  the  various  measures  agitated  by  parliament 
during  the  next  session,  was  a plan  for  extinguishing 


GEORGE  III. 


179 


,ne  national  debt.  This  celebrated  plan  was  founded 
178G1  on  a rePort  framed  by  a select  committee,  who 
-*  had  been  appointed  to  examine  the  annual  in- 
come and  expenditure  of  the  state.  By  this  report 
it  appeared,  that  the  public  income  for  the  year  1785 
exceeded  the  annual  expenditure  by  £900,000.  This 
surplus  the  minister  proposed  to  increase  to  one  mil 
lion,  and  to  appropriate  the  annual  sum  of  one  million 
to  the  liquidation  of  the  national  debt.  This  annual 
million  Mr.  Pitt  proposed  to  be  vested  in  the  hands 
of  certain  commissioners,  to  be  by  them  applied  regu- 
larly m the  purchase  of  stock.  In  the  progress  of  the 
bill,  Mr.  Fox  suggested  an  amendment,  which  was 
grate,  ally  received  by  the  minister — that  whenever  a 
new  loan  should  in  future  be  made,  the  commissioners 
should  be  empowered  to  accept  of  the  loan,  or  such 
proportion  of  it  as  should  be  equal  to  the  cash  then  in 
their  hands  3 and  that  the  interest  and  douceur  annex- 
ed to  it  should  be  applied  to  the  purposes  of  the  sink- 
ing 'hnd.  The  bill  finally  passed,  with  great  and  de- 
served approbation  3 and  this  measure  has  been  in 
general  pursued  under  almost  every  change  of  circum 
stances,  and  amidst  unexampled  difficulties. 

During  the  following  year,  the  republican  party  in 
Holland  having  obtained  an  accession  of  strength,  and 
being  secretly  favoured  by  the  court  of  France,  re- 
^071  nouneed  the  authority  of  the  Stadtholder,  under 

0 -*  the  pretext  that  he  sacrificed  the  interests  of 
his  country  to  predilection  for  the  English.  The  ac- 
tive interference,  however,  of  the  king  of  Prussia,  in 
defence  of  the  prince  of  Orange,  to  whom  he  was 
nearly  related  by  marriage,  restored  the  authority  of 
the  Stadtholder,  while  the  dignified  tone  and  vigorous 
preparations  of  the  British  minister  intimidated  the 
French  from  assisting  the  republicans. 

This  year  is  also  remarkable  for  the  impeachment 
of  Warren  Hastings,  Esq.,  late  governor-general  of 
Bengal.  The  trial  of  this  gentleman  continued  for 
seven  years,  and,  terminated  in  his  honourable  ac- 
quittal. The  disgraceful  procrastination  of  his  trial, 
.and  the  acrimony  with  which  it  was  conducted,  led 
many  to  compassionate  a man,  who,  held  up  as  a great 
public  delinquent,  seemed  destined  to  lead  a life  of 
impeachment,  and  to  have  become  the  object  of  a re 


180 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


ientless  persecution.  If  there  were  errors  in  the 
conduct  of  Warren  Hastings,  they  were  more  than 
compensated  by  his  exertions  and  moral  intentions  j 
and  it  may  safely  be  affirmed,  that  in  the  administra- 
tion of  India,  he  in  general  deserved  praise  rather 
than  censure,  and  that  his  character  will  be  always 
venerated  in  this  country,  which  was  essentially  ben- 
efitted  by  his  services. 

The  next  session  was  memorable  for  the  first  dis* 
17881  cuss*on  *n  parliament  on  the  subject  of  the  in 
-*  human  traffic  in  slaves.  Mr  Wilberforce,  who 
had  announced  his  intention  of  moving  for  the.  aboli- 
tion of  that  abominable  trade,  was  unavoidably  absent 
from  indisposition  ; but,  at  the  suggestion  of  sir  Wil- 
liam Dolben,  some  regulations  were  enacted  for  re- 
straining the  cruelties  practised  on  board  the  slave- 
ships. 

The  same  year  being  the  centenary  of  the  glorious 
revolution  of  1688,  the  5th  of  November,  the  day  of 
king  William's  landing,  was  celebrated  by  rejoicings  in 
various  parts  of  the  kingdom. 

Soon  after  the  recess  of  parliament,  the  king,  who 
had  been  rather  indisposed,  was  advised  to  try  the 
mineral  waters  of  Cheltenham,  where  he  appeared  to 
recover  his  health  ; but  on  his  return  to  London,  late 
in  the  summer,  his  illness  returned  with  new  and 
alarming  symptoms ; and  it  could  no  longer  be  con- 
cealed, that  the  malady  with  which  he  was  afflicted 
was  a mental  derangement,  that  rendered  him  wholly 
incapable  of  public  business.* 

It  now  became  necessary  to  appoint  a regent  to  ex- 
ercise the  royal  functions  till  the  health  of  his  maj- 
esty should  be  restored  ; and  Mr.  Fox  claimed  this 
high  office  in  the  name,  and  on  the  behalf  of  the  heir- 
apparent,  as  appertaining  to  his  royal  highness  of 
right.  On  the  other  hand,  Mr.  Pitt  and  his  adherents, 
who  formed  by  far  the  piost  numerous  body,  both  in 
and  out  of  parliament,  maintained,  that  the  heir  to  the 
crown  was  merely  a subject;  that  it  was  little  short 
of  treason  against  the  constitution  to  urge  his  right  to 
the  regency,  and  that  it  belonged  entirely  to  the  two 
remaining  branches  of  the  legislature  to  supply  the 
temporary  deficiency. 

Long  and  violent  debates  ensued  in  parliament,  on 


GEORGE  III. 


SCI 

the  restraints  under  which  the  minister  thought  it  ne 
cessary  to  subject  the  prince  of  Wales,  as  regent,  in 
the  exercise  of  his  authority.  A last,  the  regency- 
bill  was  about  to  pass,*  when,  to  the  unspeakable  ioy 
of  the  nat  nn,  as  well  as  of  every  member  of  his  august 
17JW1  family>  his  majesty,  on  the  iOth  of  March,  sent  a 
-*  message  to  parliament,  to  acquaint  them  with 
his  recovery,  and  his  ability  to  attend  to  the  public  bu- 
siness of  the  kingdom.  These  tidings  diffused  an  uni- 
versal and  heartfelt  satisfaction.  Every  town,  every  vil- 
lage, exhibited  its  testimonies  of  loyalty  and  affection 
to  the  best  of  sovereigns  at  the  instant ; anckthese  were 
renewed  on  the  23d  of  April,  when  his  majesty,  in 
solemn  procession,  went  to  St.  Paul's  cathedral,  to 
return  thanks  to  Heaven  for  his  recovery. 

In  the  month  of  July  in  this  year,  one  of  the  most 
unexpected  and  extraordinary  revolutions  took  place 
in  France  that  the  annals  of  history  record.  The  de- 
ranged state  of  the  finances  of  France,  and  the  mild 
disposition  and  moderate  principles  of  Louis  XVI  , 
the  reigning  sovereign,  inducing  him  to  assemble  the 
notables  of  his  kingdom,  an  opportunity  was  taken  to 
subvert  the  monarchy,  and  to  reduce  the  king  to  3 
state  of  degradation,  which  prevented  him  not  only 
from  doing  wrong,  but  from  rendering  any  essential 
service  to  the  state.  The  bastile,  which  had  long 
been  used  for  the  most  despotic  purposes,  was  sud- 
denly levelled  to  the  ground,  and  the  prisoners  liber 
ated  ; while  a national  assembly,  chosen  by  the  peo- 
ple, wrested  from  the  king  the  privilege  of  making 
war  or  peace,  and  abolished  all  titles  of  peerage  and 
distinction  of  orders.  The  frame  of  government  was 
entirely  changed,  and  a limited  hereditary  monarchy 
was  established,  in  which  the  legislative  authority  was 
rendered  superior  to  the  executive,  the  latter  being 
allowed  only  a suspensive  vote.  The  person,  of  the 
king  was  declared  inviolable,  and  the  throne  indivis- 
ible. 

Some  British  adventurers  having  established  a set- 


* The  parliament  of  Ireland  invited  the  prince  of  Wales  t« 
accept  the  regency  without,  any  limitation,  while  tho  British 
legislature  imposed  many  restrictions, 


*82  HISTORY  OF  EinuLAIND. 

tlement  at  Nootka  or  King's  Sound,*  on  the  north 
west  coast  of  America,  for  the  purpose  of  trading 
with  the  natives  for  furs,  the  Spaniards,  who  claim 
ed  the  exclusive  sovereignty  of  this  coast,  from  Cape 


17D0] 


Horn  to  the  sixtieth  degree  of  north  latitude, 


seized  on  the  fort,  and  captured  such  English 
vessels  as  were  found  trading  in  those  parts.  This  con- 
duct produced  remonstunces  to  the  court  of  Spain ; 
but  the  Spaniards  being  unwilling  to  make  any  atone 
ment.  for  the  act  of  violence  of  which  they  had  been 
guilty,  both  nations  prepared  for  war.  The  matter, 
however,  was»at  last  settled  by  a convention,  by  which 
Spain  conceded  every  point  in  dispute,  though  the 
Spanish  flag  at  the  fort  and  settlement  of  Nootka  was 
never  struck. 

By  an  act  passed  in  the  next  session  of  parliament, 
Canada  was  divided  into  two  distinct  governments,  to 
each  of  which  a legislative  counsel  and  assembly  were 
appointed,  after  the  model  of  the  British  constitution. 
The  councils  were  nominated  by  the  sovereign,  and 
.he  houses  of  assembly  were  chosen  by  the  people. 
The  habeas  corpus  act,  became  a fundamental  law  of 
the  constitution  of  Canada  ; and  the  British  parliament 
were  restrained  from  imposing  any  other  taxes  than 
such  as  were  necessary  for  the  regulation  of  trade  and 
commerce.  This  wise  and  salutary  measure  has  been 
productive  of  the  best  effects,  and  will  probably  secure 
the  dependence  of  that  province  on  Great  Britain,  by 
the  strong  tie  of  gratitude  and  interest. 

In  the  course  of  this  year,  England  was  nearly  in- 
volved in  hostilities  with  Prussia.  Thai  power,  leagu- 
ed with  Austria,  had  for  some  time  carried  on  a war 
against  the  Turns.  The  Germans,  however,  were 
very  unsuccessful  in  this  unjust  warfare  ; but  the  Rus- 
sians defeated  the  Turks  in  every  battle,  and  took  from 
them  several  strong  places,  particularly  Oczakow  and 
Ismael.  At  the  latter,  the  Turks  made  a gallant  re- 
sistance ‘j  but  the  savage  Suwarroff,  who  commanded 
the  Russians,  caused  about  thirty  thousand  of  the  in- 
habitants to  be  put  to  death,  and  thus  fixed  an  indelible 
stain  on  his  character. 

These  successes,  and  the  cruelties  which  accom 
panied  them,  alarmed  the  British  court,  and  a large 

* First  discovered  by  captain  Cook,  in  his  last  voyage  roun* 

|h»  world 


GEORGE  III. 


133 


fleet  was  fitted  out,  in  order  to  prevent  Russia  from 
obtaining  the  navigation  of  the  Black  Sea ; but  the 
majorities  which  the  minister  was  able  to  command 
in  parliament  on  this  occasion,  being  very  inconsider- 
able, and  the  popular  voice  being  decidedly  against 
the  policy  of  going  to  war  with  Russia,  the  armament 
was  laid  aside,  after  an  enormous  expense  had  been 
incurred,  and  the  Porte  concluded  a peace  with  the 
czarina  on  her  own  terms.  In  justice,  however,  to 
administration,  it  should  be  observed,  that  the  meas- 
ures which  they  adopted  on  this  occasion  were  found- 
ed in  wisdom  and  sound  policy  5 and  that,  if  their  de- 
signs had  not  been  counteracted  by  the  violence  of 
faction  in  parliament,  whose  sentknents  prevailed 
among  the  great  mass  of  the  people,  it  seems  probable 
the  partition  of  Poland,  and  other  encroachments  and 
revolutions  which  followed,  might  have  been  pre- 
vented. 

The  events  which  had  taken  place  in  France  had 
excited  much  interest  in  this  country,  and  provoked 
discussions  which  occasioned  the  supporters  of  the 
French  revolution  to  be  regarded  as  inimical  to  the 
British  constitution,  while  the  opponents  of  that  meas- 
ure were  considered  as  the  faithful  guardians  and  de- 
fenders of  our  excellent  establishment  in  church  and 
state.  It  was,  indeed,  natural  that  the  dawn  of  liberty 
in  a country  long  enslaved  should  be  hailed  with  joy 
by  the  generous  sympathy  of  Britons,  who  had  long 
enjoyed  the  blessings  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  j 
but  it  was  not  to  be  expected,  that  the  anarchy  and 
violence  which  prevailed  in  France  would  have  been 
’•egarded  with  any  other  feelings  than  those  of  detes- 
tation and  abhorrence,  and  that  the  friends  of  the 
British  constitution  would  have  evinced  their  appro- 
bation of  principles,  which  they  saw  perverted,  and 
applied  to  the  most  dangerous  purposes. 

On  the  anniversary  of  the  14-th  of  July,  the  day  on 
17Q11  'vhich  the  bastile  had  been  demolished,  the  par- 
-*  tisans  of  liberty  in  this  country  agreed  to  cele- 
orate  that  event  by  festive  meetings  in  several  of  the 
orincipal  towns  and  cities  of  the  kingdom.  This  was* 
certainly  an  act  of  indiscretion,  as  the  French  revolu 
tion  hau  incurred  great  odium  by  the  events  which 
had  lately  taken  place  in  France,  and  as  the  spirit  of 


J34 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


party  prevailed  in  a most  violent  degree  at  this  time 
in  England.  In  Birmingham,  where  great  animosity 
had  long  subsisted  between  the  high-church  party  and 
the  dissenters,  at  the  head  of  whom  was  the  justly 
celebrated  philosopher,  Dr.  Priestley,  the  meeting  was 
attended  with  the  most  lamentable  consequences. 
The  persons  who  there  assembled  to  commemorate 
the  French  revolution,  were  intuited  by  a furious 
mob,  who  shouted  “ church  and  king/7  and  who  broke 
the  windows  of  the  hotel  in  which  the  company  were 
assembled.  Incited  and  inflamed  by  their  leaders,  the 
mob  dispersed  over  the  town  and  its  vicinity,  set  on 
fire  the  meeting-houses,  and  the  dwellings  of  the  most 
eminent  dissenters,  and  giving  a loose  to  every  kind 
of  intemperance,  became  equally  formidable  to  both 
parties.  The  mansion  of  Dr.  Priestley  was  consumed, 
with  his  valuable  library  and  philosophical  apparatus; 
and  thus  a man,  whose  talents  would  have  been  an 
honour  to  any  country,  was  treated  by  these  Vandals 
as  a foe  to  the  human  race,  and  ultimately  obliged  to 
take  shelter  in  America.  No  effectual  effort  was  ein 
ployed  to  check  these  infamous  and  disgraceful  pro 
ceedings,  till  the  arrival  of  some  troops  of  dragoons 
from  Nottingham,  when,  after  four  days  of  tumult  and 
devastation,  order  and  tranquillity  were  restored.  Ma- 
ny of  the  rioters  were  brought  to  trial,  and  three  of 
them  capitally  punished. 

In  the  East  Indies,  earl  Cornwallis,  who  had  been 
appointed  governor-general  of  Bengal,  carried  on  with 
equal  conduct  and  good  fortune  the  war  against  Tip- 
poo  Saib,  in  which  this  country  had  been  involved  by 
the  intrigues  of  the  French.  After  overcoming  all 
impediments,  he  formed  the  siege  of  Seringapatam, 
the  capital  of  Mysore,  and  obliged  Tippoo  to  conclude 
a peace  on  the  terms  offered  to  him,  and  to  give  his 
two  sons  as  hostages  for  the  performance  of  its  condi- 
tions. 

When  parliament  met,  Mr.  Pitt,  to  the  agreeable 
179^1  surPr‘se  l^e  nation,  proved  that  the  finances 
were  in  such  a flourishing  state,  that  govern- 
ment would  be  enabled  to  lighten  the  burdens  of  the 
people,  by  taking  off  taxes  to  the  amount  of  two  hun 
dred  thousand  pounds  a-year,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
to  appropriate  double  that  sum  for  the  reduction  oi 


GEORGE  III. 


135 


the  national  debt.  He  also  observed,  that  the  general 
itate  of  affairs'  in  Europe  promised  a continuance  of 
peace,  and  that  he  expected  an  immediate  reduction 
of  the  naval  and  military  establishments.  These  bril* 
liant  prospects,  however,  were  obscured  before  the 
conclusion  of  the  year. 

The  continental  powers,  jealous  of  the  principles 
which  had  been  developed  in  the  French  revolution, 
held  a secret  convention  at  Pilnitz,  in  Lusatia,  where 
it  was  determined  to  prepare  for  war  against  France. 
The  haughty  demands  of  restitution  urged  by  the 
emperor,  left  no  other  alternative  to  the  French  peo- 
ple than  to  declare  war  against  Austria  ; and  Prussia 
joining  against  France,  it  was  evident  that  Great  Brit- 
ain could  not  long  be  kept  out  of  the  vortex.  The 
combined  armies  of  Austria  and  Prussia  entered 
France  under  the  duke  of  Brunswick,  accompanied 
by  the  Prussian  monarch  in  person  j and,  under  the 
sanction  of  the  two  courts,  was  issued  a proclamation, 
which  denounced  the  most  dreadful  vengeance  against 
the  French  nation,  and  threatened  to  punish  as  rebels 
to  their  king,  and  destroyers  of  the  public  tranquillity, 
all  such  as  were  found  in  arms  against  the  troops  of 
r the  allied  powers. 

This  savage  and  impolitic  manifesto,  which  seemed 
purposely  calculated  to  complete  the  ruin  of  the 
French  king,  filled  up  the  measure  of  the  popular 
fury.  The  palace  of  the  Thuilleries  w^as  attacked 
by  the  Parisian  populace;  and,  being  resolutely  de- 
Au„jo  fended  by  the  Swiss  guards,  a most  bloody 
I790  * conflict  ensued,  which  terminated  in  the  total 
defeat  and  destruction  of  the  guards,  and  the 
complete  triumph  of  the  Parisians.  The  king,  with 
the  queen,  at  the  commencement  of  the  engagement, 
had  made  a precipitate  retreat  to  the  hall  of  the  na- 
tional assembly,  and  that  unfeeling  body  committed 
them  close  prisoners  to  the  temple.  Soon  after,  Lou- 
is XVI.  was  formally  deposed,  and  the  abolition  of 
royalty  in  France  decreed  by  the  national  convention. 
Massacres,  unparalleled  in  the  annals  of  civilized  na- 
tions, were  perpetrated  under  the  sacred  name  of  lib- 
erty. The  prisons  were  forced  open  ; and  all  those 
Se  t 2 naurdered,  who  had  been  confined  for  imputed 

P ’ ’ sentiments  of  royalty.  In  short,  ‘.he  party  -vhich 


186 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


had  usurped  all  power  in  France,  were  guilty  of  atroc- 
ities, which  to  relate  in  simple  terms,  would  turn  hu- 
manity pale.  On  this  occasion,  the  princess  Lam- 
balle  was  one  of  the  many  victims  to  their  infernal 
vengeance  ; and  her  fate  was  attended  with  such  cir- 
cumstances of  horror  as  could  scarcely  enter  into  the 
imagination  of  man. 

After  the  deposition  of  Louis,  our  ambassador  was 
recalled  from  Paris ; and  though  Chauvelin,  the  French 
ambassador,  still  remained  in  London,  he  was  not  ac- 
knowledged in  any  official  capacity.  Not  only  were 
the  Austrian  and  Prussian  armies  compelled  to  evacu- 
ate France,  but  the  French  general  Dumourier  over- 
ran the  Low  Countries  in  a series  of  triumphs;  and, 
before  the  year  had  closed,  the  whole" of  the  Austrian 
Netherlands,  with  the  exception  of  Luxembourgh  and 
Liege,  had  submitted  to  the  arms  of  the  republican 
:nvaders.  In  the  exultation  occasioned  by  these  suc- 
cesses, the  convention  passed  their  famous  decree, 
offering  fraternity  and  assistance  to  all  nations  engag- 
ed in  a struggle  for  liberty;  and,  on  the  capture  of 
Antwerp,  they  declared  the  navigation  of  the  Scheldt 
free,  which  this  country  was  bound  by  treaty  to  resist 

These  decrees  were  justly  obnoxious  to  the  Britisn 
ministry,  as  encouraging  sedition  and  revolt  in  every 
monarchical  government,  and  treating  with  contempt 
the  rights  of  neutral  nations.  A royal  proclamation 
appeared,  in  which  it  was  declared,  that  evil  disposed 
persons  in  this  country  were  acting  in  concert  with 
others  in  foreign  parts,  in  order  to  subvert  the  laws 
and  constitution  ; and  avowing  his  majesty’s  design 
of  forthwith  embodying  a part  of  the  militia.  Con- 
siderable alarm  was  spread  through  the  sound  part  of 
the  nation,  of  which  description  the  majority  was  im- 
mense ; and  both  public  bodies  and  private  individuals 
testified  their  zeal  for  preserving  the  public  peace  and 
supporting  the  constitution  of  their  country.  Numer- 
ous associations  were  formed  against  republicans  and 
levellers;  loyal  addresses  poured  in  from  all  parts; 
and  the  pulpit  and  the  press  were  alike  employed  in 
recommending  social  order,  and  in  disseminating  those 
principles  which  had  raised  Britain  to  a state  of  unex 
implcd  political  happiness. 

When  the  parliament  met,  the  infamous  fraternizing 


GEORGE  III. 


181 


decree  of  Fran  se  having  excited  just  alarm  and  indig- 
nation, a bill  was  passed,  by  which  his  majesty  should 
be  empowered  to  order  aliens  to  quit  the  kingdom,  as 
circumstances  might  justify  or  policy  require.  It  was 
now  sufficiently  evident,  that  hostilities  between 
Great  Britain  and  France  would  not  be  long  deferred. 

A sentiment  of  horror  pervaded  the  nation,  when 
intelligence  was  received  of  the  condemnation  and 
public  execution  of  the  unfortunate  Louis  XVI.,  the 
|-q«1  mildest  and  most  inoffensive  of  a long  line  of 
-*  kings,  who  suffered  death  by  the  punishment  of 
the  guillotine,  on  the  21st  of  January.  The  parlia- 
ment being  sitting,  advantage  was  taken  of  the  sensa- 
tion which  this,  melancholy  event  produced,  to  unite 
all  parties  in  the  vigorous  prosecution  of  a war,  for 
which  preparations  had  long  been  making.  Chauvelin, 
the  accredited  minister  of  Louis  XVI.,  was  ordered 
to  quit  the  kingdom  ; and  the  French  republic,  regard- 
ing his  dismission  as  a direct  act  of  hostility,  declared 
war  against  the  king  of  Great  Britain  and  the  prince 
of  Orange,  as  Stadtholder  of  the  United  Provinces. 

The  necessity  of  this  war,  which  was  actively  un 
dertaken  by  this  country  without  any  formal  declara- 
tion, was  warmly  disputed  in  parliament;  and  it  was 
affirmed  that  hostilities  with  France,  on  the  grounds 
alleged  by  ministers,  were  neither  for  the  honour  nor 
the  interest  of  Great  Britain.  The  English  troops, 
under  the  command  of  the  duke  of  York,  having  join- 
ed those  of  Austria  and  Prussia,  the  combined  armies 
defeated  the  French  generals,  Valence,  Miranda, 
Dumourier,  and  Dampierre,  and  took  the  cities  of 
Valenciennes,  Conde,  Mentz,  and  Quesnoy.  It  was 
resolved  in  a council  of  war,  that  the  British,  Hano- 
verians, and  Dutch,  should  separate  from  the  main  ur 
my,  and  attack  West  Flanders.  Accordingly,  the 
British  forces,  under  the  duke  of  York,  made  an  at- 
tempt on  Dunkirk  ; but  the  English  army  was  com- 
pelled to  retreat,  with  the  loss  of  all  its  heavy  artil- 
lery. 

Meanwhile,  the  fury  of  the  jacobins  in  France  rous- 
ed ihe  people  in  several  provinces  to  resistance;  and 
lord  Hood  being  cruising  in  the  Mediterranean,  the 
inhabitants  of  Toulon  entered  into  a negotiation  with 
him,  and  delivered  into  his  possession  the  town  and 


183 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


the  shipping ; but  the  republicans,  collecting  a large 
irregular  force,  attacked  the  place  with  such  impetu- 
osity, that  the  English  were  obliged  to  withdraw, 
after  destroying  nine  of  the  enemy’s  ships  of  the  line 
and  some  frigates. 

Though  this  campaign  was  on  the  whole  successful 
on  the  side  of  the  allies,  yet  its  termination  was  by 
no  means  equally  auspicious  as  its  commencement. 
They  had  preserved  Holland,  and  recovered  the  Neth- 
erlands ; but  the  tide  of  success  was  now  turned 
against  the  confederates,  who,  acting  without  any  reg- 
ularly concerted  plan,  showed  alternate  vigour  and 
irresolution. 

At  home,  revolutionary  doctrines  were  industrious- 
ly propagated,  and  seditious  societies  formed;  and 
several  persons  of  talents,  who  had  lent  their  aid  in  pro- 
moting schemes  dangerous  to  the  constitution,  were 
arrested  and  brought  to  trial.  By  the  severity  of  the 
laws  of  Scotland,  some  of  them,  being  convicted  of 
sedition  in  that  country,  were  sentenced  to  be  trans- 
ported to  Botany  Bay,  which  was  accordingly  carried 
into  execution ; but  in  England,  the  promoters  of 
disorder  and  confusion,  who  had  been  indicted  for 
high  treason,  were  all  eventually  acquitted.  The 
merits  of  the  judgments  on  the  delinquents  in  Scot-, 
land  afterwards  underwent  a discussion  in  parliament. 

A message  from  the  king  to  both  houses  of  parlia- 
17941  ment  announced  the  avowed  intentions  of  the 
-*  enemy  to  invade  this  country.  A great  aug- 
mentation of  the  militia,  and  an  addition  of  volunteer 
fensible  corps,  were  accordingly  voted.  The  ardour 
with  which  young  men  of  all  ranks  entered  into  these 
military  associations,  for  the  purpose  of  defending 
their  country,  equally  damped  the  resolution  of  do- 
mestic traitors  and  foreign  foes  ; and  the  preparations 
which  had  been  made  for  invading  England,  began  to 
slacken,  and  were  at  last  wholly  discontinued. 

On  the  continent,  the  arms  of  the  allies,  from  a 
want  of  cordial  co-operation,  had  experienced  many 
reverses  ; but  the  English  were  consoled  by  the  splen 
y . did  naval  victory  obtained  by  lord  Howe  ovet 
*1794' the  French  fleet,  which  had  ventured  from 
Brest  harbour,  for  the  purpose  of  protecting  a 
large  convoy  from  America.  In  this  action,  which 


GEORGE  III. 


139 


was  warmly  contested,  the  French  suffered  a total  de- 
feat, with  the  loss  of  six  ships  of  the  line  taken,  ana 
one  sunk.  The  French  fleet  consisted  of  twenty-six 
sail  of  the  line,  and  the  English  of  twenty-five. 

In  the  West  Indies,  Martinico,  St.  Lucie,  and  Gua- 
daloupe,  were  successively  captured  ; and  in  the 
East,  Pondicherry,  Chandernagore,  and  Mahie,  fell 
under  the  power  of  the  English.  In  short,  signal  as 
had  been  the  disasters  of  the  allied  armies  on  the 
continent,  in  almost  every  enterprise  in  which  the 
British  were  singly  engaged,  they  were  completely 
successful. 

An  accession  was  made  to  the  British  empire  by 
the  annexation  of  Corsica  to  the  crown  of  England ; 
but  policy,  or  necessity,  in  a short  time  compelled 
this  country  to  abandon  an  island,  which  would  ever 
have  been  attended  with  more  expense  than  advantage. 

When  the  victories  of  the  French  in  the  Nether- 
lands had  removed  their  apprehensions  from  foreign 
enemies,  their  attention  was  directed  to  internal  tyr- 
anny. After  the  jacobins  had  triumphed  over  the 
girondists,  they  were  themselves  divided  into  two  par- 
ties. Those  called  the  faction  of  the  cordeliers,  be- 
ing opposed  to  the  views  of  Robespierre,  who  had 
made  rapid  strides  to  single  despotism,  were  arrested 
by  his  orders,  and  put  to  death.  The  French  people, 
however,  no  sooner  considered  the  atrocities  of  which 
Robespierre  had  been  guilty,  than  a powerful  party 
was  formed  against  him;  and  the  fall  of  the  tyrant 
put  an  end  to  the  reign  of  terror  in  France  ; but  under 
every  successive  faction,  the  arms  of  the  republic  pre- 
vailed on  the  continent,  and  at  once  Germany,  Spain, 
and  Italy,  felt  their  irresistible  force.  The  United 
Provinces  were  speedily  overrun  by  a French  army  ; 
and  the  stadtholder,  with  his  family,  sought  refuge  in 
England. 

In  this  year,  Poland,  overwhelmed  by  a foreign  des- 
potism, was  blotted  out  from  the  number  of  European 
kingdoms,  and  its  territories  were  divided  between 
Prussia,  Austria,  and  Russia,  the  three  powers  that 
conspired  and  effected  its  ruin. 

The  splendid  successes  of  the  French  in  the  last 
17951  ?amPa’*gn»  had  disposed  most  of  the  neighbour- 
1 ing  powers  to  acknowledge  the  republic.  Prus« 


190 


HISTORY-  OF  ENGLAND. 


sia  and  Spain  concluded  a treaty  with  France  3 and 
Holland  being  fraternized  by  the  French^  the  Dutch, 
from  long  treacherous  friends,  became  the  open  ene- 
mies of  this  country.  Warm  debates  took  place  in 
the  British  parliament  on  the  subject  of  peace  j but 
the  warlike  proposals  of  ministers  were  still  support- 
ed by  great  majorities.  At  this  period  of  the  contest, 
the  nation  seemed  wearied  and  dispirited  3 but  another 
victory  by  sea,  gained  by  lord  Bridport,  off  port  POri- 
ent,  tended  to  encourage  the  people,  and  to  convince 
them  that  they  were  invulnerable  on  their  native  ele- 
ment.  The  engagement  began  early  in  the  morning, 
and  continued  till  three  in  the  afternoon,  by  which 
time  three  ships  of  the  line  had  struck  their  colours. 
The  rest  of  the  French  squadron,  keeping  close  in 
shore,  escaped  into  POrient. 

In  the  spring  of  this  year,  his  royal  highness  the 
prince  of  Wales  contracted  a matrimonial  alliance 
with  his  cousin,  the  princess  Caroline  Amelia,  daugh- 
ter of  the  duke  of  Brunswick.  This  marriage,  which 
gave  great  joy  to  the  people,  eventually  proved  a source 
of  much  domestic  misery  and  national  inquietude.  In 
the  following  year,  the  princess  gave  birth  to  a daugh 
ter  3 and,  soon  after,  a formal  separation  of  the  parents 
took  place. 

Various  circumstances  had  inspired  the  English 
people  with  a spirit  of  discontent.  The  cruel  and  il- 
legal practices  of  crimps  for  the  recruiting  service 
had  occasioned  several  violent  tumults  5 and  the  in- 
creasing scarcity  of  provisions  aggravated  the  public 
ill-humour.  The  reforming  societies  began  to  act 
with  great  boldness  3 and  that  denominated  the  Cor- 
responding Society  held  several  public  meetings,  one 
of  which,  in  the  fields  near  Copenhagen  House,  was 
computed  to  be  attended  by  fifty  thousand  persons, 
and  was  distinguished  by  the  daring  addresses  made  to 
the  people.  On  the  first  day  of  the  meeting  of  parlia- 
ment, his  majesty  was  grossly  insulted  in  passing  to 
the  house  of  lords  by  a furious  mob,  who  clamorously 
demanded  peace,  and  the  dismission  of  Mr.  Pitt. 

In  consequence  of  this  outrage,  two  bills  passed 
both  houses  of  parliament : one  for  the  better  security 
of  his  majesty's  person,  by  extending  the  laws  of 
treason}  the  other,  for  the  prevention  of  seditioui 


I 


GEORGE  III.  191 

meetings.  These  bills,  however,  did  not  pass  without 
strong  opposition. 

This  year,  that  valuable  settlement,  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope,  and  part  of  Ceylon,  were  wrested  from 
the  Dutch:  but  an  expedition  to  Quiberon,  in  which 
were  embarked  about  three  thousand  French  emi- 
grants, entirely  failed. 

An  overture  was  made  by  the  British  government 
to  negotiate  a peace  with  France  ; but  it  was  so  cap- 
tiously, not  to  say  insolently  received,  that  it  was  im- 
possible to  take  any  farther  steps  for  the  attainment 
of  this  object.  The  truth  seems  to  be,  that  the  two 
governments  were  less  inclined  to  a pacification  than 
the  people,  who  were  anxious  to  be  relieved  from  a 
war,  the  evils  of  which  were  severely  felt,  and  the 
eventual  advantages  of  which  they  did  not  compre- 
hend, or  did  not  think  sufficient  to  compensate  the 
pressures  under  which  they  laboured. 

During  the  last  campaign,  the  French  had  been  less 
successful  than  in  the  former  year:  but  the  directory 
made  vigorous  prepaiations  for  placing  the  numerous 
armies  of  the  republic  in  a most  formidable  posture  ; 
and  the  success  of  the  French  arms  was  not  surpassed 
in  any  former  period.  In  Italy,  the  republican  troops 
17961  were  commanded  by  general  Bonaparte,*  whose 
* advance  into  that  country  was  an  almost  unin- 
terrupted career  of  victory.  He  defeated  the  impe- 
rialists at  Lodi,  and  compelled  nearly  the  whole  of 
Italy  to  sue  for  peace.  In  Germany,  too,  the  campaign 
began  successfully  on  the  side  of  the  French  j and 
generals  Moreau  and  Jourdan  penetrated  to  the  very 
heart  of  the  empire  3 but  they  were  afterwards  repel- 
led by  the  archduke  Charles,  who  drove  back  the  in- 
vaders. 

Hence  the  love  of  peace  became  more  and  more 
felt  by  the  British  and  the  Austrians,  who  now  alone 


* Napoleon  Bonaparte  was  a native  r.f  Corsica,  where  he 
was  born  in  1769.  With  the  most  intrepid  courage,  and  an  as- 
piring ambition,  he  possessed  talents  of  the  first  order,  which 
raised  him  to  the  summit  of  power  in  France,  and  rendered 
him  formidable  to  all  the  neighbouring  nations.  After  seating 
himself  on  the  throne  of  the  Bourbons,  the  whole  of  Europe, 
with  the  exception  of  Great  Britain,  submitted  to  the  will  of 
this  wonderful  man. 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


m 

9 

remained  of  the  grand  confederacy  which  had  been 
formed  against  France  ; but  in  proportion  as  the  ene- 
my was  successful,  he  increased  in  his  demands,  and 
refused  to  listen  to  equal  teims  of  accommodation. 
To  evince  the  sincerity  of  their  desire  for  peace,  the 
British  ministry  sent  lord  Malmesbury  as  plenipoten- 
tiary to  Paris  to  open  a negotiation  with  the  French 
republic.  A mutual  restitution  of  conquests  was  the 
basis  on  which  his  lordship  was  empowered  to  treat; 
but  the  French  refusing  to  restore  the  Netherlands, 
ordered  lord  Malmesbury  to  quit  Paris  in  forty-eight 
hours,  and  the  French  territory  with  as  much  expedi- 
tion as  possible.  Whether  either  of  the  two  govern- 
ments was  really  desirous  of  peace  at  this  time,  seems 
very  doubtful. 

At  the  close  of  this  year,  the  French,  encouraged  by 
reports  of  disaffection  in  Ireland,  attempted,  with  thir- 
teen ships  of  the  line,  and  a large  body  of  troops,  to 
make  a descent  at  Bantry-bay  ; but  the  winds  dispers- 
ing the  armament,  the  comnrander-in-chief,  who  had 
arrived  at  his  place  of  destination,  returned  to  Brest 
with  the  loss  of  one  ship  of  the  line  and  two  frigates. 

In  SaldarTna  bay,  a Dutch  fleet  of  seven  sail  of  the 
line,  which  had  sailed  in  hopes  of  retaking  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,  was  captured  by  admiral  Elphinstone  ; 
and  thus  ended  a campaign,  in  which  Britain  was  uni- 
formly successful  on  her  own  element. 

The  aspect  of  affairs,  however,  was  gloomy  and  dis- 
mal.  The  rapid  and  enormous  increase  of  the 
J national  debt  had  created  an  alarm  among  the 
proprietors  of  the  public  funds;  and  the  bank  having 
advanced  immense  and  extraordinary  sums  to  govern- 
ment, it  was  found  expedient  to  stop  the  payment  in 
specie.  This  strong  measure,  which  necessity  atone 
could  justify,  caused  a great  sensation  ; but  it  appear 
ing  that  the  bank  had  still  a great  surplus  property 
confidence  was  restored ; and  the  notes  of  the  bank 
passed  as  freely  as  ever,  though  the  prohibition  cf 
payment  in  cash  was  ordered  to  be  continued. 

Scarcely  had  the  public  alarm  from  the  bank  subsid 
ed,  when  other  dangers  occasioned  equal  dread  and 
consternation.  A serious  mutiny  broke  out  among  the 
Beamen  of  the  channel  fleet  lying  at  Spithead,;  but  on 
obtaining  an  increase  of  pay,  which  the  circumstance! 


GEORGE  III. 


193 


of  the  Lillies  and  their  own  merits  rendered  necessary, 
order  and  discipline  were  speedily  re-established. 

It  was  hoped,  that  the  concession  of  government 
would  have  prevented  any  fresh  insurrection;  but  a 
mutiny  broke  out  at  the  Nore,  much  more  outrageous 
and  full  of  danger.  New  and  extravagant  demands 
were  dictated  to  the  Admiralty,  delegates  were  cho- 
sen to  conduct  the  meeting,  and  one  Richard  Parker 
was  appointed  admiral  of  the  mutinous  fleet.  The 
firmness  of  government,  however,  and  the  enactment 
of  two  bills,  denouncing  death  against  all  who  should 
seduce  any  of  his  majesty's  seamen  from  their  duty, 
or  hold  any  communication  wPh  ships  in  a state  of 
mutiny,  at  length  overawed  those  misguided  men. 
The  red  flag  of  mutiny  was  struck  ; and  many  of  the 
ringleaders,  among  whom  was  Parker,  suffered  deserv- 
ed punishment. 

To  these  disgraceful  proceedings  in  the  channel,  the 
successful  bravery  of  our  seamen  against  the  enemy 
forms  a striking  contrast.  Admiral  sir  John  Jervis, 
commanding  fifteen  sail  of  the  line-,  fell  in  with  a 
Spanish  fleet  of  twenty-seven  sail  off  Cape  St.  Vin 
cent ; and,  after  an  engagement  of  five  hours,  in  which 
the  grea*.  superiority  of  British  tactics,  skill,  and  brave 
ry,  was  displayed,  captured  four  of  the  number.  The 
honour  of  a peerage  was  deservedly  bestowed  on  the 
gallant  admiral,  with  the  title  of  earl  St.  Vincent,  in 
allusion  to  the  scene  of  this  glorious  achievement. 

After  this  victory,  rear-admiral  Nelson,  who  had 
particularly  distinguished  himself  in  the  action,  was 
sent  with  a flotilla  to  make  a nocturnal  attack  on  the 
town  of  Santa  Cruz,  in  the  island  of  Teneriffe.  This 
attempt,  however,  was  unsuccessful  : the  gallant  ad- 
miral lost  an  arm;  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  men 
were  either  killed  or  wounded  in  the  assault. 

Admiral  Duncan,  who  had  long  been  engaged  in 
Oct  11  blocking  UP  the  Dutch  fleet  in  the  Texel, 
1797  ' havin'g  returned  to  England  to  refit,  the  ene- 
my ventured  to  sea.  Duncan  hastily  return- 
ing, disposed  his  squadron  in  such  a manner  as  to  pre- 
vent the  Dutch  from  escaping  without  a conflict.  The 
action  was  extremely  obstinate;  but,  at  last,  nine  of 
the  largest  ships,  and  two  admirals,  were  the  trophies 
of  British  prowess.  For  this  service,  the  gallant  ad 
VOL  II  J3 


194 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


miral  was  raised  to  a peerage,  by  the  style  and  title  of 
iord  viscount  Duncan,  of  Camperdown,  off  which 
place  this  victory  was  achieved. 

Meanwhile,  the  British  government  attempted  to 
renew  the  negotiation  for  peace  ; and  lord  Malmesbu- 
ry was  again  commissioned  to  proceed  to  Lisle  j but 
the  French  requiring  that  England'  should  restore  all 
the  possessions  which  had  been  taken  from  France, 
Spain,  and  Holland,  without  offering  any  compensation 
on  the  part  of  those  powers,  the  British  plenipotentia- 
ry found  it  necessarj  to  return. 

About  this  time,  however,  the  Austrians  being  com- 
pletely discomfited  in  Italy,  the  emperor  was  induced 
to  sign  a definitive  treaty  with  the  French  republic,  at 
Campo  Formioj  and  thus  Great  Britain  was  left  singly 
to  combat  with  an  enemy,  strengthened  by  a large  ac 
cession  of  territory  and  population,  after  all  the  oth 
er  powers  had  been  successively  withdrawn,  or  intim 
idated  from  our  alliance. 

Ireland,  which  had  long  been  agitated  by  foreign 
1 TQR I an^  domestic  enemies,  became  this  year  the 
■*  scene  of  an  unnatural  rebellion.  The  United 
Irishmen,  who  had  formed  a conspiracy  against  gov- 
ernment, being  disappointed  in  their  expectations  of 
receiving  assistance  from  France,  prepared  for  an  ex- 
tensive insurrection,  without  waiting  for  a co-opera- 
tion from  the  continent.  Stimulated  by  some  persons 
of  rank  and  consequence  among  them,  they  were 
guilty  of  the  most  savage  atrocities  ; and  a few  of  the 
principal  traitors  being  themselves  betrayed,  their 
wretched  adherents,  finding  concealment  no  longer 
possible,  broke  out  into  open  rebellion. 

It  would  be  painful  to  enter  into  the  details  of  the 
cruelties  and  murders  which  were  perpetrated  in  that 
unhappy  country.  In  this  unnatural  contest,  in  which 
one  part  of  the  British  empire  warred  with  the  rest, 
numbers  of  the  insurgents  fell  ; while  the  survivors  of 
the  United  Irishmen  wreaked  their  vengeance  on  the 
unhappy  prisoners  that  fell  into  their  hands. 

At  last  earl  Camden  was  recalled,  and  the  marquis 
Cornwallis,  who,  to  the  highest  personal  character 
united  splendid  military  talents,  was  appointed  to  the 
vice-royalty  of  Ireland.  By  offering  pardon  to  all,  ex 
sept  to  the  leaders  in  the  rebellion,  he  p*evailed  on 


GEORGE  III. 


155 


Ao  greatest  part  of  the  insurgents  to  surrender  their 
arms,  and  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  his  majesty  ; 
and  the  rest  were  defeated  or  awed  by  the  king’s 
troops. 

The  French;,  with  a small  body  of  forces,  endeav- 
oured to  revive  the  rebellion  ; and,  surprising  our 
troops  by  tneir  sudden  appearance,  gained  a temporary 
advantage,  but  were  soon  overpowered  and  captured  by 
lord  Cornwallis.  A French  squadron  of  one  ship  of 
the  line  and  eight  frigates,  with  troops  and  ammunition 
on  board,  destined  for  Ireland,  was  taken  and  dispers- 
ed by  sir  John  Borlase  Warren  ; and  the  whole  French 
equipment,  with  the  exception  of  two  frigates,  fell 
ultimately  into  the  hands  of  the  English. 

Meanwhile,  Bonaparte  had  sailed  from  Toulon  with 
an  armament,  consisting  of  thirteen  ships  of  the  lin’e, 
six  frigates,  and  transports,  having  on  board  an  army 
of  thirty  thousand  men.  Malta  capitulated  to  this  ar- 
mament, by  the  treachery  of  some  of  the  chiefs  of  that 
island;  and  steering  its  course  for  Egypt,  the  French 
debarked  their  forces  in  that  country,  whicli  they 
speedily  overran,  notwithstanding  the  spirited  opposi- 
tion of  the  Mamelukes. 

Admiral  Nelson,  who  had  been  detached  by  lord  St. 
Vincent,  in  quest  of  the  enemy,  with  thirteen  sail  of 
the  line  and  one  fifty-gun  ship,  found  the  French  fleet 
Au^  1 at  anch°r  the  bay  of  Aboukir.  A severe 
and  obstinate  engagement  ensued  ; and,  after 
a dreadful  conflict,  a complete  victory  re- 
warded the  skill  and  gallantry  of  the  British  admiral, 
his  officers,  and  men.  Besides  the  French  flag-ship 
of  120  guns,  one  74  was  burnt ; one  of  80  guns  and  sev- 
en of  74,  were  captured;  two  ships  of  the  line  and 
two  frigates  escaped  by  flight,  but  were  soon  after 
taken.  If  Bonaparte  had  not  possessed  great  talents 
and  a fertile  genius,  this  victory,  which  deprived  his 
army  of  all  communication  with  Europe,  would  have 
completely  paralyzed  the  expedition  to  Egypt.  For 
this  service  the  admiral  was  created  lord  Nelson  of  thr^ 
Nile,  and  received  a pension  of  20001.  besides  other 
honours  and  rewards  which  were  bestowed  on  him  by 
some  of  the  sovereigns  of  Europe. 

The  grand  seignior  now  declared  war  against  F ranee  j 
and  Paul,  the  new  empeior  of  Russia,  in  whose  char- 


96 


HISTORY  OF  EJN GLAND. 


acter  passion  and  frivolity  were  chiefly  predominant, 
displayed  his  detestation  of  French  principles,  and 
was  subsidised  by  England.  The  emperor  of  Germa- 
ny also  joined  the  confederacy  against  France  ; and 
the  republic  had  again  to  contend  with  another  pow- 
erful alliance. 

Meanwhile,  the  assessed  taxes  not  having  proved  so 
productive  as  had  been  expected,  the  minister  had  re- 
course to  a tax  on  income,  requiring  one  tenth  on  all 
incomes  exceeding  two  hundred  pounds  a-year. 

A measure,  however,  which  will  immortalize  the 
memory  of  the  premier,  and  deserve  the  lasting  grati- 
tude of  both  countries,  was  his  projected  union  with 
Ireland;  which,  after  being  canvassed  with  great  at- 
tention in  England,  and  violently  opposed  in  Ireland, 
was  at  last  carried  into  effect,  on  principles  peculiarly 
favourable  to  the  real  interests  of  the  latter  country. 

The  arms  of  Russia  speedily  gave  a new  turn  to  the 
war  in  Italy,  the  English  recovered  Naples  for  its  for- 
mer sovereign  ; and  sir  Sidney  Smith,  by  his  bravery 
and  ab.e  conduct,  repelled  an  invasion  of  Syria,  head- 
ed by  Bonaparte  himself. 

The  peifidy  and  duplicity  of  Tippo  Saib  having  oc- 
17991  casioned  a nevv  war  India,  general  Harris, 
-*  with  equal  success  and  ability,  made  himself 
master  of  Seringapatam,  in  storming  which  the  tyrant 
of  the  Mysore  fell  in  action,  and  with  him  the  empire 
which  had  been  established  by  his  father  Hyder  Ally 
The  greater  part  of  his  dominions  were  seized  by  the 
East-India  Company,  and  his  family  were  sent  to  Cal- 
cutta. 

While  the  allies  were  engaged  in  endeavouring  to 
make  an  impression  upon  France,  Great  Britain  un- 
dertook an  expedition  to  detach  the  Batavian  republic 
from  its  connexion  with  the  French;  and  a powerful 
armament  was  sent  to  Holland,  under  the  command 
of  the  duke  of  York.  On  the  27th  of  August,  sir 
Ralph  Abercrombie,  with  the  British  and  Russian 
’ mops,  landed  at  the  Helder,  and  defeated  the  forces 
opposed  to  them,  after  a short  and  sharp  conflict.  Soon 
after,  however,  the  duke  of  York  assuming  the  com 
mand,  the  enemy  having  assembled  in  great  force,  and 
the  season  being  too  far  advanced  to  suffer  them  la 
tonlinue  in  the  field,  in  a hostile  country,  the  English 


GEORGE  III.  i/i 

were  obliged  to  abandon  the  enterprise  with  great  loss. 

Meanwhile  Bonaparte  left  the  army  which  he  com- 
manded in  Egypt,  and  embarking  in  an  armed  vessel, 
reached  France  in  safety.  The  divisions  and  intrigues 
in  the  French  directory,  aided  by  the  popularity  which 
he  had  acquired,  enabled  him  to  seize  the  reins  of 
government;  and  dissolving  the  council  of  five  hun 
died,  he  established  a new  constitut.on,  the  executive 
part  of  which  was  vested  in  himself  as  first  consu  , 
with  two  subordinate  consuls  as  his  colleagues. 

On  his  accession  to  the  consular  government,  Bona- 
parte addressed  a letter  to  the  king  of  Great  Britain, 
and  requested  his  majesty  to  concur  with  him  in  restor 
ing  peace  to  the  world;  but  these  overtures  being  re- 
jected under  the  plea  that  his  continuance  in  power 
might  be  as  unstable  as  his  predecessors,  he  prepared 
June  14  t0  cariT  on  Ihe  war  wRh  vigour.  At  Maren- 
1€00  ’ »°’  £ave  ^dst,r‘ans  a most  signal  defeat, 
' and  obliged  the  emperor  to  conclude  the 
treaty  of  Luneville.  Malta  having  submitted  to  the 
arms  of  England,  after  a blockade  of  two  years,  the 
French  entered  into  a treaty  for  evacuating  Egypt ; 
but  the  British  government  unhappily  refusing  to  rati- 
fy this  convention,  which  had  been  formed  under  the 
auspices  of  sir  Sidney  Smith,  the  French  general  in 
that  country  recommenced  hostilities;  and  in  order 
to  expel  the  enemy  from  that  province,  without  which 
our  India  possessions  could  not  have  been  secure,  sir 
Ralph  Abercrombie  was  sent  into  Egypt  with  a power- 
ful army.  On  the  21st  of  March,  1801 , that  gallant 
veteran  defeated  the  French  general,  Menou,  with 
great  loss,  but  was  mortally  wounded  in  the  action, 
and  died  a few  days  after,  equally  beloved  and  revered 
for  his  private  virtues  as  for  his  military  talents.  Gen- 
eral Hutchinson,  who  succeeded  to  the  command, 
•completed  the  reduction  of  Egypt. 

Meanwhile,  as  the  union  between  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland  had  been  fixed  by  the  legislature  to  commence 
and  be  in  force  from  the  first  day  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  the  imperial  parliament  of  both  islands  me. 
18011  at  Westminster,  on  the  22d  of  January.  The 
' emperor  of  Russia  had  not  only  withdrawn  him- 
self from  the  confederacy  against  France,  but  listening 
to  the  counsels  of  Bonaparte,  had  stimulated  Denmark 


198  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

and  Sweden  to  enter  into  an  armed  neutrality  against 
this  country.  When  all  Europe  was  thus  combined 
against  Britain,  and  almost  every  port  shut  against  us, 
Mr.  Pitt  and  his  principal  coadjutors  resigned  their 
situations.  The  minister,  apprehending,  as  has  been 
supposed,  that  his  continuance  in  office  might  prove 
an  impediment  to  the  restoration  of  peace,  or,  consid- 
ering, as  is  more  probable,  and  has  been  asserted,  that 
his  pledge  to  the  catholics  at  the  time  of  the  union, 
required  either  the  fulfilment  of  his  promise  o*  the 
sacrifice  of  his  place,  relinquished  all  his  employ 
ments.  Mr.  Addington,  speaker  of  the  house  of  com- 
mons, was  appointed  first  lord  of  the  treasury  and 
chancellor  of  the  exchequer;  lord  Hawkesbury,  sec- 
retary of  state  for  the  foreign  department;  and  earl 
St.  Vincent,  first  lord  of  the  admiralty. 

The  king  of  Prussia  earnestly  Dromoted  the  north- 
ern confederacy,  and  sent  an  army  into  Hanover;  but 
a British  fleet,  under  admirals  sir  Hyde  Parker  and 
lord  Nelson,  being  despatched  to  open  the  Baltic,  an 
18011  en»aoement  took  place  at  Copenhagen,  which 
-1  had  been  strongly  fortified,  when  the  result  was 
a complete  victory  on  the  part  of  the  English,  chiefly 
obtained  by  the  intrepid  conduct  of  lord  Nelson.  Af- 
ter this  bloody  battle,  an  armistice  v.ds  agreed  on  , 
and  the  emperor  Paul  being  succeeded  by  his  son 
Alexander,  the  northern  confederacy  was  dissolved, 
and  peace  was  restored  between  England  and  the  na- 
tions of  which  it  was  composed. 

The  chief  difficulty  in  regard  to  a pacification  with 
France  being  removed  by  the  evacuation  of  Egypt  by 
the  French,  preliminaries  of  peace  were  signed  on 
the  1st  of  October,  to  the  unbounded  joy  of  the  united 
18011  kingdom.  The  terms,  however,  were  far  from 
■*  giving  universal  satisfaction,  and  many  saw  in 
them  the  seeds  of  a new  war  at  no  great  distance  ; 
but,  after  various  delays  and  difficulties,  a definitive 
treaty  was  signed  at  Amiens,  cn  the  27th  of  March 
180°>1  flowing.  By  this  treaty,  Great  Britain  restor- 
-*  ed  to  France  and  her  allies,  every  possession 
or  colony  which  she  had  taken  from  them  during  the 
war,  except  the  Spanish  island  of  Trinidad,  and  the 
Dutch  settlement  of  Ceylon.  Egypt  was  to  be  rest-  r 
ed  to  the  Porte  ; and  the  integrity  of  the  Turkish  eu? 


GEORGE  III. 


199 


pirc  was  guarantied.  The  French  were  to  evacuate 
the  territories  of  Naples  and  of  Rome.  Malta  was  to 
be  restored  to  its  own  order  of  knights. 

It  was  soon,  however,  evident  that  the  treaty  of 
Amiens  would  not  be  productive  of  any  long  period 
of  tranquillity.  The  restless  ambition  of  Bonaparte, 
which,  whilst  it  could  not  suffer  neighbouring  nations 
Ho  repose  in  peace  and  security,  was  at  last  fatal  to- 
himseif.  No  man,  either  of  ancient  or  modern  times, 
can  be  compared  with  this  extraordinary  person,  who, 
as  if  regarding  Europe  as  too  confined  a theatre  for 
his  ambition,  grasped  at  the  dominion  of  the  whole 
world,  and  whose  unparalleled  life  seems  to  resemble 
a fiction  and  romance,  rather  than  a history  of  real 
actions. 

His  assumption  of  the  presidency  of  the  Italian  re- 
public, and  the  convention  which  he  had  formed  with 
Spain,  were  objects  of  jealousy  to  the  British  govern- 
ment; but  the  subjugation  of  Switzerland  was  a wan- 
ton aggression,  which  excited  indignation  in  the  breast 
of  every  friend  of  liberty  ; and  the  aims  at  dominion 
which  were  every  where  visible,  withheld  the  English 
ministry  from  surrendering  Malta,  unconditionally. 
This  procured  a rupture  between  the  two  countries, 
lor.oT  and  war  was  proclaimed  by  Gr^at  Britain  against 
J France,  on  the  18th  of  May. 

One  of  the  first  measures  of  Bonaparte,  after  the 
renewal  of  hostilities,  was  to  seize  on  the  electorate  of 
Hanover;  but  the  invasion  of  England  appeared  at 
this  time*  the  principal  object  which  occupied  his  at- 
tention. A flotilla  was  prepared  for  conveying  the 
military  hordes  of  France  to  the  British  shores ; ex- 
tensive camps  were  formed  in  the  vicinity  of  the  har- 
bours ; and  the  troops  were  kept  in  constant  readiness 
for  embarkation.  Such,  however,  werp  the  exertions 
made  to  receive  the  boasted  invaders  of  England,  that 
volunteer  associations  were  every  where  formed  ; men 
of  all  ranks  and  professions,  animated  with  one  com- 
mon feeling  of  indignation,  devoted  a great  portion  of 
their  time  to  preparations  for  the  defence  of  their 
country ; and  the  whole  kingdom  presented  the  ap 
pearance  of  one  wide  tented  field. 

The  regular  military  force  of  Great  Britain  was  also 
augmented  beyond  all  former  precedent,  and  stationed 


200 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


in  different  parts  of  the  kingdom  ; while  our  fleets 
blockaded  the  enemy's  ports  ; and  confined  their 
squadrons  and  flotillas  within  the  protection  of  their 
own  batteries. 

Meanwhile,  a new  insurrection  broke  out  in  Dublin, 
which  occasioned  some  alarm,  but  which  was  speedi- 
ly repressed;  but  lord  Kilwarden,  and  his  nephew 
Mr.  Wolfe,  unfortunately  passing  at  the  time,  were 
dragged  out  of  their  carriage  by  the  insurgents,  and 
barbarously  put  to  death. 

This  year,  the  French  government  transferred  Lou- 
isiana to  the  United  States  of  America  for  the  sum  of 
three  millions  of  dollars. 

The  majorities  on  the  side  of  ministers  being  great 
1R041  reduced,  by  the  opposition  of  Mr.  Pitt,  who 
-*  had  hitherto  supported  the  administration,  Mr. 
Addington  resigned  the  office  of  chancellor  of  the  ex 
chequer  and  first  lord  of  the  treasury,  and  was  succeed- 
ed by  Mr.  Pitt.  At  the  same  time  the  duke  of  Port- 
land was  appointed  president  of  the  council ; and  lord 
Eldon  lord  chancellor. 

Various  attempts  against  the  enemy's  flotillas  on 
their  own  coasts  were  unsuccessful.  The  most  con- 
siderable of  this  kind,  was  an  undertaking  by  lord 
Keith,  with  a fleet  of  men  of  war  and  other  ships,  to 
destroy  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  French  vessels, 
moored  on  the  outside  of  Boulogne  pier.  The  instru- 
ments chiefly  depended  on  for  this  purpose,  were  cer- 
tain exploding  vessels  called  catamarans,  which,  how- 
ever, entirely  disappointed  the  expectations  that  had 
been  formed. 

Though  Spain  had  not  declared  war  against  Britain, 
yet  the  English  government  considered  that  power  as 
wholly  under  the  control  of  Bonaparte ; and  a British 
squadron  was,  therefore,  sent  to  intercept  the  Span- 
ish frigates  which  conveyed  specie  from  America  to 
Cadiz.  An  engagement  ensued,  in  which  one  of  the 
Spanish  vessels  blew  up;  and  the  rest,  with  the  treas 
ure,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  English  ; but  this  act  of 
the  British  government  can  scarcely  be  considered 
otherwise  than  as  a violation  of  the  law  of  nations. 

The  aggressions  of  Bonaparte  in  Germany  and  Italy 
provoked  another  coalition  among  the  European  pow 
ers;  and  the  “mighty  army  of  England,"  which  v\a? 


GEORGE  III. 


201 


laid  to  be  intended  for  the  invasion  of  this  country, 
18051  an<*  had  remained  nearly  two  years  sta- 

tionary  &nd  inactive,  was  withdrawn  from  the 
shores  of  the  channel ; but  the  fatal  battle  of  Auster- 
litz  destroyed  the  hopes  of  Russia  and  Austria,  and 
compelled  the  latter  power  to  accept  such  terms  of 
accommodation  as  France  thought  fit  to  dictate. 

Meanwhile  Goree,  which  had  been  taken  by  the 
French,  was  recaptured;  and  the  Dutch  settlement 
of  Surinam  capitulated  to  a force  under  the  command 
of  sir  Charles  Green  and  commodore  Hood.  Bona- 
parte, on  whom  the  people  of  France  had  conferred 
the  rank  and  title  of  emperor  of  the  French,  made  an 
overture  to  the  king,  in  which  he  expressed  a wish  for 
peace,  and  deprecated  the  continuance  of  hostilities 
as  tending  to  a useless  effusion  of  blood.  The  reply 
of  the  British  government  declared,  that  the  king, 
though  ardently  desirous  of  peace,  was  convinced  that 
this  object  could  be  attained  only  by  arrangements 
which  should  provide  for  the  future  safety  and  tran- 
quillity of  Europe,  and,  in  consequence,  till  he  had 
communicated  with  the  continental  powers,  with 
whom  he  was  engaged  in  confidential  relations,  he 
felt  it  impossible  to  give  a more  particular  answer  to 
the  overture. 

The  misfortunes  of  our  allies  on  the  continent  were 
in  some  degree  compensated  by  the  brilliant  success 
which  attended  the  fleets  of  Great  Britain.  A fleet 
of  twelve  French,  and  six  Spanish  ships  of  the  line, 
had  sailed  for  the  West  Indies,  under  the  command 
of  admiral  Villeneuve;  and  lord  Nelson,  with  only 
eleven  sail  of  the  line,  pursued  the  French  admiral, 
who,  terrified  by  the  intelligence  of  his  approach,  has- 
tened back  to  Europe,  and,  near  cape  Finisterre,  was 
encountered  by  sir  Robert  Calder,  who  ook  two  of 
his  large  ships. 

Soon  after,  the  combined  fleets  of  France  and  Spain, 
amounting  to  thirty-three  sail  of  the  line,  again  sailed 
under  the  same  admiral,  with  the  intention  of  giving 
battle  to  lord  Nelson.  The  British  admiral,  however, 
had  been  reinforced  with  seven  ships,  which  augment- 
ed his  fleet  to  the  number  of  twenty-seven  sail  of  the 
line.  On  the  21st  of  October,  lord  Nelson,  to  his 
great  joy , descried  the  mighty  armament  of  the  ene- 


202  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

my,  about  seven  miles  east  of  cape  Trafalgar.  The 
last  memorable  signal  of  the  British  admiral,  u Eng- 
land expects  every  man  to  do  his  duty,7’  was  received 
with  acclamations  from  the  whole  fleet.  About  noon, 
the  dreadful  contest  began,  by  the  leading  ships  of  the 
British  column  breaking  through  the  enemy’s  line.  In 
this  bloody  battle,  lord  Nelson  was  mortally  wounded 
by  a muskeUball,  fired  from  the  shrouds  of  the  Re- 
doubtable, to  which  the  admiral’s  ship,  the  Victory, 
was  opposed,  after  having  compelled  Villeneuve  to 
strike  his  flag  on  board  the  Bucentaur.  The  British 
hero,  however,  did  not  close  his  eyes  in  death  till  he 
had  received  assurance  of  a decisive  victory,  when, 
faintly  smiling,  he  exclaimed,  “ God  be  praised  !77  and 
expired.  In  this  engagement,  nineteen  of  the  enemy’s 
ships  were  captured  by  the  English.  The  patriotic 
hero,  by  whom  this  victory  had  been  achieved,  was  in- 
terred in  the  most  magnificent  manner,  at  the  public 
expense  ; the  title  of  earl  Nelson  was  conferred  on 
his  brother,  with  a suitable  income  ; and  monuments 
to  the  memory  of  him  who  had  been  the  pride  and  the 
glory  of  his  country,  arose  in  all  the  principal  towns 
of  the  empire. 

Meanwhile,  the  arms  of  Britain  were  crowned  with 
new  triumphs  in  India,  where  sir  Arthur  Wellesley, 
now  duke  of  Wellington,  defeated  Scindiah,  a power- 
ful Mahratta  chieftain,  and  obliged  him  to  cede  a 
large  tract  of  country  to  the  British  ; and,  before  the 
close  of  the  year  1805,  a peace  was  concluded  with 
Holkar,  another  Mahratta  chief,  who  was  also  depriv- 
ed of  a very  considerable  extent  of  territory. 

France  and  Prussia  concluded  a treaty,  by  which 
Hanover  was  transferred  to  the  latter  power ; and 
Frederic  William  occupied  nearly  the  whole  of  that 
electorate,  the  property  of  his  old  ally,  with  his  troops. 

The  total  failure  of  the  continental  coalition  greatly 
augmented  the  gloom  which  prevailed  in  England  in 
consequence  of  the  alarming  illness  of  Mr.  Pitt.  This 
distinguished  statesman,  whose  infirm  state  of  health 
had  been  increased  by  anxiety  and  disappointment 
I80n  exP*red  on  ^e  23d  of  January,  after  having  di 
° ■*  rected  the  affairs  of  this  country  for  a longer  pe- 

riod than  any  former  minister.  Under  his  tiuspices( 
,»he  maritime  supremacy  of  England  was  confirmed  b* 


GEORGE  III. 


.203 


x series  cf  most  splendid  victories;  tut  the  public 
burdens  were  enormously  augmented.  He  laboured 
successfully  to  preserve  Great  Britain  from  the  conta- 
gion of  revolutionary  principles  ; and  he  exerted  him- 
self with  equal  zeal,  but  with  less  success,  to  resist 
the  military  despotism  by  which  France  threatened  to 
subjugate  the  continent.  In  short,  he  was  a statesman 
of  great  ability  and  strength  of  mind,  who  rendered 
momentous  services  to  his  country  ; and  it  must  be 
allowed,  that  never  was  the  force  of  the  British  char- 
acter tried  by  greater  dangers,  or  graced  by  more 
splendid  achievements,  than  under  the  administration 
of  William  Pitt. 

On  the  death  of  this  distinguished  and  disinterested 
statesman,  lord  Grenville  was  appointed  first  lord  of 
the  treasury  ; Mr.  Fox,  secretary  of  state  for  foreign 
affairs  ; lord  Henry  Petty,  chancellor  of  the  exchequer ; 
and  Mr.  Windham,  secretary  of  state  for  the  depart- 
ment of  war  and  the  colonies. 

About  ten  days  after  these  appointments,  a negotia- 
tion took  place  with  France,  which  was  no  less  singu- 
lar in  its  commencement  than  fruitless  in  its  result. 
A Frenchman,  calling  himself  Gevrilliere,  disclosed 
to  Mr.  Fox  a plan  for  the  assassination  of  Bonaparte i 
but  that  minister  dismissed  the  wretch  with  indigna- 
tion, and  informed  the  French  government  of  the  med- 
itated crime.  This  extorted  from  Bonaparte  a well 
merited  compliment  to  the  honour  and  generosity  of 
Mr.  Fox;  and  a negotiation  for  peace  between  the  two 
countries  commenced ; but  after  being  continued  for 
a considerable  length  of  time,  the  continental  policy 
of  France  prevented  a satisfactory  issue. 

One  of  the  first  measures  of  the  new  ministers  was 
an  increase  on  the  income-tax,  which,  already  odioMs 
and  oppressive,  was  raised  from  five  to  ten  per  cent, 
on  all  incomes  exceeding  fifty  pounds. 

In  the  house  of  commons,  Mr.  Fox  moved  a reso- 
lution, which  was  carried  into  effect,  and  which  may 
be  said  to  have  closed  the  parliamentary  career  of  that 
great  statesman.  This  resolution  proposed  to  take 
effectual  measures  for  abolishing  the  Slave  Trade  ; 
and  an  address  from  both  houses  was  carried  to  the 
king,  beseeching  him  to  obtain  by  negotiation  the  con- 
cuirence  of  foreign  powers  in  the  abolition  of  the 
same  iniquitous  traffic. 


204 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


The  Cape  of  Good  Hope  again  surrendered  to  th6 
British  5 but  an  attempt  on  Spanish  South  America, 
though  at  first  successful,  finally  proved  abortive.  In 
Italy,  however,  the  British  arms  were  triumphant,  and 
sir  John  Stuart  defeated  at  Maida  a French  army  un- 
der general  Regnier,  with  great  loss  3 but  this  brilliant 
victory,  which  was  achieved  with  a comparatively 
small  force,  produced  no  permanent  change  in  the 
state  of  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  though  it  preserved 
Sicily  from  invasion.  Naples  had  been  seized  on  by 
the  French  emperor,  and  Joseph  Bonaparte  was  pro- 
claimed king  of  that  country. 

The  emperor  Napoleon  carried  into  effect  a scheme 
for  subverting  the  ancient  constitution  of  the  German 
empire,  by  establishing  what  was  called  the  confede- 
ration of  the  Rhine.  The  members  of  this  confede- 
ration were  the  emperor  of  the  French,  the  kings  of 
Bavaria  and  Wirtemberg,  and  several  other  German 
princes.  Separating  themselves  from  the  Germanic 
empire,  these  princes  chose  Bonaparte  for  their  pro- 
tector, and  established  a federal  alliance,  by  which 
they  engaged  to  furnish  a certain  contingent  of  troops, 
in  case  of  a continental  war.  Conformably  to  an  ar- 
rangement with  Napoleon,  Francis  resigned  his  office 
and  title  of  emperor  of  Germany,  and  annexed  his 
German  provinces  to  the  empire  of  Austria. 

On  the  13th  of  September  died  that  illustrious  states- 
IPOfil  nian  anc*  to  human  race,  Charles  James 

J Fox,  whose  last  moments  were  embittered,  by 
finding  that  the  ambition  of  Bonaparte  deprived  him 
of  the  pleasure  dearest  to  his  heart, — that  of  termi- 
nating the  sufferings  of  distracted  Europe,  and  restor- 
ing to  his  country  the  blessings  of  peace.  As  a sena- 
tor, Mr.  Fox  was  distinguished  alike  for  the  compre- 
hensiveness of  his  views,  the  liberality  of  his  princi 
pies,  and  the  persuasive  and  convincing  power  of  his 
eloquence  5 as  a minister,  he  displayed  in  the  man- 
agement of  public  affairs,  the  same  noble  simplicity 
which  characterized  his  conduct  in  private  life  5 and, 
as  a man,  his  great  and  amiable  qualities  acquired  him 
the  cordial  affection  of  his  lriends,  and  the  generous 
admiration  of  his  adve-saries. 

On  the  death  of  this  lamented  statesman,  lord  How 
ick  was  appointed  secretary  of  foreign  affairs,  and  Mr 
Thomas  Grenville  became  first  lord  of  the  admiralty 


GEORGE  III. 


20a 


The  fate  of  Prussia  proved  the  danger  to  which  all 
the  old  governments  were  exposed.  After  Napoleon 
was  engaged  in  hostilities  with  Great  Britain  and 
Sweden,  he  rendered  himself  formidable  to  all  Eu- 
rope, by  the  promptness  and  energy  of  his  conduct. 
Frederic  William  discovered  that  the  French  Empe- 
ror, who  had  guarantied  to  him  the  possession  of  Han- 
over, was  offering  the  restoration  of  that  electorate  as 
the  basis  of  negotiation  with  the  English  court.  In- 
dignant at  the  danger  of  losing  this  acquisition,  he  re- 
solved to  try  the  hazard  of  war  3 arid,  after  successive 
actions,  in  which  the  Prussians  were  uniformly  de- 
feated, a tremendous  conflict  took  place  on  the  14th 
of  October,  in  the  plains  between  Weimar  and  Auer- 
stadt.  The  issue  of  this  engagement,  in  which  Fred- 
IROfil  er*c  William  suffered  a total  defeat,  laid  Prus- 
■*  sia  at  the  mercy  of  Bonaparte,  who  took  pos- 
session of  Berlin,  and  completely  subjugated  that 
country.  Between  the  French  and  Russian  armies  a 
series  of  bloody  contests  also  took  place,  in  which 
the  former  were  uniformly  victorious  3 and,  at  length, 
peace  was  signed  at  Tilsit  by  the  emperors  of  France 
and  Russia. 

Napoleon  now  controlled  the  whole  of  the  contin- 
ent. His  brother  Louis  was  created  king  of  Holland  3 
his  brother  Joseph,  king  of  Naples  5 and  his  brother 
Jerome  was  in  person  created  king  of  Westphalia, 
with  territories  ceded  by  Prussia  and  other  neighbour- 
ing states.  Napoleon  himself  was  not  only  emperor 
of  France,  but  also  king  of  Italy  5 and  Spain  was  en- 
tirely subservient  to  the  policy  of  that  ambitious  and 
daring,  though  able  ruler. 

Whilst  at  Berlin,  Bonaparte  issued  a decree,  inter- 
dicting all  commerce  and  correspondence  between 
the  countries  under  his  control  and  the  British  Islands, 
which  he  declared  to  be  in  a state  of  blockade. 

The  well  known  reluctance  of  the  king  to  extend 
the  privileges  of  the  catholics,  did  not  prevent  lord 
Grenville  and  his  associates  from  introducing  a bill 
into  parliament,  for  the  purpose  of  empowering  per- 
sons of  that  persuasion  to  fill  the  highest  ofljces  in  the 
army  and  the  navy.  The  king  expressed  his  decided 
objection  to  this  measure,  and  demanded  from  his 
ministers  a written  pledge,  that  they  would  neve> 


506 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


again  bring  forward  any  proposal  connected  with  the 
catholic  question.  As  the  ministers  could  not  assent 
to  this,  they  resigned  their  situations,  and  a new  ad 
ministration  was  formed.  The  duke  of  Portland  waa 
appointed  first  lord  of  the  treasury;  Mr.  Perceval, 
chancellor  of  the  exchequer;  lord  Eldon,  lord  chan 
cellor  ; lord  Liverpool,  secretary  for  the  home  depart* 
ment;  lord  Castlereagh,  secretary  for  the  war  depart- 
ment; and  Mr.  Canning,  secretary  for  foreign  affairs. 

A new  parliament  was  assembled,  which  fully  es- 
18071  ^blished  the  strength  of  the  new  ministers; 

-*  and  the  first  important  measure  was  a plan  for 
increasing  the  regular  army  from  the  militia,  and  sup- 
plying the  deficiencies  arising  from  such  a transfer, 
by  a supplementary  militia.  In  the  beginning  of  this 
year,  the  island  of  Cura9oa  surrendered  to  the  Eng 
lish. 

A confederacy  of  the  northern  powers  against  Brit- 
ain being  now  apprehended,  the  ministers  sent  a pow- 
erful armament  against  Denmark,  which  was  compel- 
led to  surrender  her  fleet  to  the  English,  after  the 
bombardment  of  her  capital.  This  measure  justly  ex- 
cited the  indignation  of  Europe,  and  gave  to  the  ene 
mies  of  Great  Britain,  a plausible  pretext  for  theii 
hostility. 

In  consequence  of  the  decree  of  Bonaparte  from 
Berlin,  the  English  ministers  issued  orders,  subjecting 
all  ports  and  places  in  Europe,  from  which  the  British 
flag  was  excluded,  and  all  those  in  the  colonies  of  his 
majesty’s  enemies,  to  the  restrictions  consequent  on 
actual  blockade,  declaring  all  trade  in  the  produce  or 
manufactures  of  such  countries  or  colonies  to  be  un- 
lawful, and  authorizing  the  capture  of  all  vessels  en- 
gaged in  that  trade.  To  these  orders  Bonaparte  pub- 
lished a rejoinder  at  Milan,  in  which  he  decreed,  that 
all  ships  which  should  be  searched  by  a British  ves- 
sel, or  should  pay  any  tax  to  the  English  government, 
were  denationalized,  and  might  be  lawfully  captured 
wherever  found. 

These  conflicting  ~egulations  respecting  the  trade 
of  neutrals,,  occasioned  an  act  in  the  American  con- 
gress, imposing  a strict  embargo  on  all  vessels  belong- 
ing to  the  American  states,  and  commanding  all  for 
cign  ships  to  quit  the  harbours  of  the  United  States 


GEORGE  III. 


207 


The  designs  of  Bonaparte  against  Spain  became 
daily  more  manifest;  and  a treaty  was  concluded  at 
F ontainebleau  for  the  partition  of  Portugal.  A French 
army  was  already  on  i\s  march  to  Lisbon,  when  the 
Nov  29  P°rtuguese  fleet  set  sail  from  the  Tagus, 

18*07  ; P™nce  regent  and  the  whole  royaj 

family  on  board,  and  proceeded  to  Rio  de  Ja- 
neiro, escorted  by  an  English  squadron.  The  French 
army  under  Junot,  already  on  the  heights  above  Lis- 
bon, took  possession  of  that  capital,  and  subjected  the 
inhabitants  to  military  law. 

Madeira  was  placed  under  the  protection  of  the 
English  ; and  the  Danish  islands  in  the  West  Indies, 
St.  Thomas,  St.  John  and  St.  Croix,  surrendtied  to  a 
British  squadron  under  sir  Alexander  Cochrane. 

The  French  had  obtained  possession  of  the  princi- 
pal fortresses  in  Spain  ; and  the  approach  of  Murat, 
with  a powerful  army  to  the  capital,  increased  the 
alarm  of  the  Spanish  people.  Charles  IV.  abdicated 
che  crown  in  favour  of  his  son,  the  prince  of  the 
Asturias,  who  commenced  his  reign  under  the  title 
of  Ferdinand  the  Seventh  ; but  this  arrangement  did 
not  suit  the  policy  of  France,  and,  the  father  and  son 
quarrelling,  Charles  transferred  to  Napoleon  the  sover- 
eignty of  Spain,  who,  having  persuaded  Ferdinand  to 
meet  him  at  Bayonne,  compelled  him  to  renounce  the 
crown  in  favour  of  his  family.  Charles,  his  queen, 
1C081  an(*  ^odoy,  prince  of  the  peace,  retired  to 
-*  Rome;  and  Joseph  Bonaparte  was  installed 
King  of  Spain  and  the  Indies;  while  Joachim  Murat, 
the  brother-in-law  of  the  French  emperor,  was  made 
king  of  Naples. 

These  transactions,  however,  did  not  take  place 
without  causing  great  commotions  and  much  effusion 
of  blood  in  Spain;  and  the  Spanish  people,  exasperat- 
ed by  the  cruelties  committed  by  the  French  in  that 
country,  declared  war  against  France,  and  sent  depu- 
ties to  implore  the  assistance  of  England.  This  re- 
quest was  readily  granted,  and  a force  of  ten  thousand 
men  sailed  to  Corunna,  under  the  command  of  sir 
Arthur  Wellesley  ; but  on  communicating  with  the 
Spanish  leaders  in  that  district,  it  was  determined  to 
proceed  to  Portugal,  where  the  troops  were  disem- 
barked in  Mondego-bay.  Junot,  collecting  his  whole 


£08  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

force,  attacked  the  British  army  in  a strong  position  a i 
Vimiera;  but,  after  an  obstinate  contest,  the  French 
were  defeated  with  the  loss  of  between  three  and  four 
thousand  men.  Sir  Hew  Dalr*ympler  who  arrived  from 
Gibraltar  to  assume  the  command  of  the  British  army, 

J concluded  a disgraceful  convention  at  Cintra,  by  which 

the  French  troops  were  sent  to  France,  at  the  expense 
of  the  English  government,  without  being  considered 
as  prisoners  of  war. 

The  command  of  the  British  army  in  Portugal  de- 
volved on  Sir  John  Moore,  who  arrived  with  a rein- 
forcement of  twelve  thousand  men.  That  officer  had 
been  intrusted  with  an  expedition  for  the  assistance  ot 
Sweden,  against  which  war  had  been  declared  by 
Russia,  Prussia,  and  Denmark  ; but  through  the  capri- 
cious and  violent  conduct  of  the  Swedish  monarch, 
he  had  been  constrained  to  return  without  landing  his 
troops. 

Meanwhile,  the  disasters  which  befel  the  French 
armies  in  Spain,  intimidated  Joseph  Bonaparte,  who, 
j after  a residence  of  ten  days  in  Madrid,  decamped 

from  that  capital,  taking  with  him  the  regalia  and 
crown  jewels,  and  some  other  valuables  from  the  pal- 
aces and  treasury.  On  this  occasion,  the  Spaniards 
contemptuously  observed,  that  11  Joseph  had  put  into 
his  pocket  the  crown,  which  he  durst  not  wear  upon 
his  head.” 

The  French  emperor,  indignant  at  the  concuct  of 
the  Spaniards,  and  the  discomfiture  of  his  armies,  an- 
nounced to  his  legislative  body,  that,  placing  him- 
self at  the  head  of  his  troops,  he  would  crown  his 
brother  at  Madrid,  and  plant  his  eagles  on  the  for- 
tresses of  Portugal.  Accordingly,  a large  and  over- 
whelming force  entered  Spain  5 and  the  undisciplined 
troops  of  that  country  were  easily  defeated  by  the 
hosts  of  French  veterans,  commanded  by  the  most 
able  generals,  and  animated  by  the  presence  of  Napo- 
leon. 

By  the  representations  and  remonstrances  of  Mr. 

Frere,  the  English  minister  at  Madrid,  sir  John 

Moore  had  been  urged  to  direct  his  march  to  that 

capital ; but  hearing  that  Madrid  had  surrendered  to 

the  French,  and  that  Napoleon  was  marching  against  I 

him  with  a great  body  of  forces,  the  English  general 


GEORGE  III. 


203 


1809] 


found  himself  compelled  to  retreat.  Tne  distresses 
which  the  British  army  suffered  Jti  this  retreat  were 
dreadful.  With  few  intervals  of  repose,  which  the 
French  forces  allowed  them,  they  traversed  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles  in  a mountainous  country,  in  the 
middle  of  a severe  winter,  and  by  roads  almost  impas- 
sable. At  length,  after  a most  painful  and  harassing  re- 
treat, in  which  they  lost  several  thousand  men, 
the  British  army  reached  Corunna  on  the  12th 
of  January  ; and  on  the  16th  of  that  month,  when  the 
embarkation  of  the  troops  was  about  to  commence, 
they  were  attacked  by  the  French,  under  the  com- 
mand of  marshal  Soult.  The  British,  however,  though 
inferior  in  number,  exhausted  by  harassing  marches 
and  deprived  of  their  artillery,  which  had  been  em- 
barked, repulsed  the  enemy,  and  achieved  a victory 
under  the  most  adverse  circumstances  *,  but,  in  this 
engagement,  the  English  lost  their  brave  commander, 
vho  was  killed  by  a cannon-ball,  and  who,  in  his  last 
moments,  expressed  a hope  that  his  country  would  do 
him  justice. 

Sir  Arthur  Wellesley  being  again  appointed  to  the 
command  of  the  army  in  the  peninsula,  landed  with 
reinforcements  in  Portugal.  Soult  was  driven  from 
Oporto;  and  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley,  joined  by  the 
Spanish  general  Cuesta,  hastened  to  meet  marshal 
Victor  in  the  south.  The  allied  army  was  strongly 
posted  at  Talavera,  where  it  was  attacked  by  Victor. 
An  obstinate  engagement  ensued,  in  which  the  French 
were  defeated  with  the  loss  of  ten  thousand  men. 
This  victory  occasioned  great  joy  in  England;  and  sir 
Arthur  Wellesley  was  honoured  with  a peerage,  by 
the  title  of  lord  viscount  Wellington. 

After  *his  battle,  the  enemy  collected  in  great  force/ 
under  marshals  Ney,  Soult,  and  Mortier,  and  the  Brit- 
ish army  was  obliged  to  retreat  into  Portugal.  In  the 
other  districts  of  Spain,  the  French  arms  were  tri- 
umphant; and,  at  the  close  of  the  campaign,  the 
principal  armies  of  the  patriots  had  been  successively 
defeated  and  dispersed. 

The  island  of  Martinico  was  taken  by  the  English ; 
and  lord  Cochrane  destroyed  or  rendered  unservicea- 
ble ten  French  ships  in  Basque  roads. 

War  being  again  declared  between  \ustria  and 

vOL.  II.  14 


»• 


210 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


France,  the  hostile  armies  were  put  in  motion ; and 
battles  were  fought  «t  Abensberg,  at  Eckmuhl,  and  at 
Ratisbon  all  in  favour  of  the  French.  In  the  battle 
of  Asperne,  however,  Bonaparte  was  unsuccessful 
against  the  archduke  Charles  ; but  at  Wagram,  a short 
time  after,  he  obtained  a decisive  victory  over  the 
Austrians,  and  compelled  the  emperor  again  to  sue 
for  peace,  which  he  granted. 

An  expedition  was  fitted  out  for  making  a descent 
on  the  Dutch  island  of  Zealand;  and  an  armament, 
consisting  of  a military  force  of  nearly  forty  thousand 
men,  under  the  command  of  the  earl  of  Chatham,  and 
a fleet  of  thirty-nine  sail  of  the  line,  and  thirty-six 
frigates,  under  the  direction  of  sir  Richard  Strachan, 
sailed  from  England.  After  a vigorous  siege,  Flushing 
was  compelled  to  surrender;  but  the  ulterior  objects 
of  this  expedition  completely  failed;  and  the  occupa- 
tion of  the  low  and  marshy  islands  of  Walcherin  and 
South  Beveland  proved  greatly  destructive  to  the 
troops,  who  were  seized  with  a pestilential  fever. 

The  reduction  of  Zante,  and  the  consequent  surren- 
der of  the  Ionian  islands,  effected  by  the  joint  efforts 
of  lord  Collingwood  and  sir  John  Stuart,  may  be  reck- 
oned among  the  more  fortunate  events  of  this  year.  . 

A partial  change  of  administration  took  place,  in 
consequence  of  the  resignations  of  lord  Castlereagh, 
Mr.  Canning  and  the  duke  of  Portland.  Mr.  Perce- 
val united  in  his  own  person  the  offices  of  first  lord 
of  the  treasury,  and  chancellor  of  the  exchequer;  the 
marquis  Wellesley  was  appointed  secretary  for  foreign 
affairs;  and  lord  Liverpool  secretary  at  war. 

The  next  session  of  parliament  commenced  with 
violent  debates  on  the  disastrous  expedition  to  Walche- 
18101  r‘n  5 an(^  ^or<^  Chatham  thought  proper  to  resign 
-*  his  office  of  master  general  of  the  ordnance. 

In  Spain,  the  cause  of  independence  was  still  un- 
successful ; but  Cadiz,  which  had  become  the  seat  of 
government,  being  protected  by  a combined  British 
and  Spanish  fleet,  and  occupied  by  a considerable 
military  force,  bade  defiance  to  any  attack  of  the 
enemy. 

Ciudad  Rodrigo  and  Almeida  fell  successively  into 
Ihe  hands  of  the  French.  At  Buzaco,  however,  the 
English  obtained  a victory,  but  afterwards  retired  to 


GEORGE  m. 


21. 

tl.e  strong  lines  of  Torres  Vedras;  and  Marshal  Mas- 
6ena,  the  French  general,  fixed  his  head  quarters  at 
Santarem. 

Napoleon  divorced  the  empress  Josephine,  and  mar- 
ried the  archduchess  Maria  Louisa,  daughter  to  the 
emperor  of  Austria.  Europe  beheld  with  astonish- 
ment this  alliance,  which  was  not  less  disgraceful  to 
the  emperor  Francis,  than  injurious  in  France  to  the 
popularity  cf  Bonaparte. 

The  sovereignty  of  Holland  was  resigned  by  Louis  ; 
and  the  Seven  United  States  were  annexed  to  the 
French  empire  In  Sweden,  the  states  elected  the 
French  marshal  Bernadotte  crown-prince  of  that  coun- 
try. 

In  the  West  Indies,  the  English  took  the  island  <:f 
Guadaloupe;  and  in  the  Indian  Ocean,  the  French  isl- 
ands of  Bourbon  and  the  Mauritius.  They  also  took 
Amboyna  from  the  Dutch. 

In  consequence  of  the  return  of  the  king’s  malady, 
18111  ^ie  Pr'nce  °*^  Wales  was  appointed  regent,  sub- 
■*  ject  to  all  the  restrictions  which,  on  a former 
occasion,  had  been  proposed  by  Mr.  Pitt.  On  the  6th 
of  February,  his  royal  highness  was  installed  as  re- 
gent; and  he  declared  his  intention  not  to  remove 
from  their  stations  those  whom  he  found  his  majesty’s 
official  servants,  lest  any  act  of  his  might  interfere 
with  his  royal  father’s  recovery. 

The  commercial  distress  of  the  nation  necessarily 
demanded  the  attention  of  parliament ; and  a bill  was 
passed,  empowering  the  treasury  to  issue  exchequer 
bills  to  the  amount  of  six  millions  sterling,  the  same 
to  be  reimbursed  in  three  quarterly  instalments  ; but 
the  effects  of  this  bill  were  less  beneficial  than  had 
been  expected.  The  legislature  also  passed  a bill,  for 
preventing  the  current  gold  coin  from  being  paid  for  a 
greater  value  than  its  current  value,  for  preventing 
bank  of  England  notes  trom  being  received  at  a value 
inferior  to  that  which  they  represented,  and  for  s .ay- 
ing  proceedings  in  any  distress  by  the  tender  of  such 
notes. 

The  difficulty  of  obtaining  the  necessary  supplies 
of  provisions  in  a desolated  country,  and  at  such  a dis- 
tance from  his  resources,  compelled  Massena  to  quit 
his  strong  camo  at  Santarem.  He  was  closely  pur- 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


sued  by  lord  Wellington,  who  found  means  to  force 
part  of  his  army  into  occasional  actions,  in  which 
great  numbers  of  the  French  were  killed  or  taken 
orisoners.  In  order  to  relieve  Almeida,  which  lord 
Wellington  had  invested,  Massena  attacked  the  Brit- 
ish army,  but  was  repulsed,  and  obliged  to  retire  to 
Salamanca. 

Lieutenant  general  Graham  defeated  the  French  at 
Barosa,  where  the  enemy  lost  an  eagle,  six  pieces  of 
cannon,  and  upwards  of  three  thousand  men,  in  killed, 
wounded  and  prisoners.  Marshal  Beresford,  who  was 
investing  Badajoz,  which  the  Spanish,  governor  had 
pusillanimously  surrendered  to  the  c^emy,  defeated  • 
the  French  under  marshal  Soult,  in  the  battle  of  Albu- 
era,  in  which  the  enemy  lost  about  eight  thousand 
men  in  killed  and  wounded. 

In  the  east  of  Spain,  the  French  arms  were  triumph- 
ant. Tarragona,  reduced  after  an  obstinate  defence, 
suffered  every  cruelty  which  could  be  inflicted  by  the 
conquerors. 

The  Dutch  island  of  Batavia,  in  the  East  Indies,  sur- 
rendered to  an  English  force  under  sir  Samuel  Auch- 
muty. 

The  affairs  of  Great  Britain  were  now  approaching 
to  a crisis.  The  contest  in  Spain  was  still  doubtful  ; 
a dispute  existed  with  America,  in  regard  to  the  orders 
in  council,  and  threatened  an  open  rupture  with  that 
country  ; and  France  was  preparing,  for  the  subjuga- 
tion of  Russia,  which  refused  to  comply  with  the  trea- 
ty  of  Tilsit,  by  excluding  the  British  from  all 
commerce  with  the  continent,  a mightier  arma- 
ment than  had  ever  been  collected  in  Europe.  At 
home,  the  decline  of  trade  produced  severe  distress 
among  the  people  ; and  a spirit  of  discontent  and  in- 
subordination manifested  itself  in  several  of  the  manu- 
facturing districts. 

The  parliament  passed  two  bills,  by  one  of  which  the 
crime  of  frame-breaking  was  made  a capital  offence  ; 
and  by  the  other,  additional  powers  were  given  to 
magistrates  for  a limited  time,  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 
serving the  public  peace  in  the  disturbed  counties. 

On  the  11th  of  May  as  Mr.  Perceval  was  entering 
IRl^l  tbe  lobby  tbe  bouse  of  commons  he  was  shot 
bv  a person  of  the  name  of  Bellingham,  and 


GEORGE  III. 


213 


died  almost  immediately.  This  man  professed  to  have 
sustained  injuries  from  the  Russian  government, 
which  the  British  ministers  being  unable  to  redress, 
he  determined  to  put  one  of  them  to  death,  that  his 
case  might  be  brought  before  a court  of  justice.  The 
murderer  made  no  attempt  to  palliate  his  crime,  which 
he  expiated  with  his  life.  Ample  provision  was  made 
by  parliament  for  the  widow  and  children  of  Mr.  Per- 
ceval ; and  men  of  all  parties  lamented  his  untimely 
fate,  and  bore  testimony  to  his  upright  and  amiable 
character. 

After  much  delay,  a new  administration  was  formed 
in  which  lord  Liverpool  was  appointed  first  lord  of  the 
treasury,  lord  Sidmouth  (formerly  Mr.  Addington) 
secretary  of  state  for  the  home  department,  and  Mr. 
Vansittart  chancellor  of  the  exchequer. 

One  of  the  first  acts  of  the  present  government  was 
a revocation  of  the  orders  in  council,  as  far  as  regard- 
ed American  property  ; but  before  intelligence  of  this 
repeal  cou.ld  be  received  in  America,  the  United 
States  had  declared  war  against  Great  Britain.  The 
republicans  commenced  hostilities  by  an  irruption  in- 
to upper  Canada,  but  were  defeated,  and  obliged  to 
surrender  to  the  British.  For  their  disgraces  by  land, 
however,  the  Americans  received  some  compensation 
by  their  successes  at  sea. 

In  the  peninsular  war,  the  French  arms  were  tri- 
umphant in  the  east  of  Spain  ; but,  in  the  west,  they 
suffered  great  reverses.  Ciudad  Rodrigo  and  Badajoz 
feli  into  the  hands  of  the  allies;  and  so  important  did 
the  capture  of  the  former  place  appear  to  the  Span- 
iards, that  the  Cortes  conferred  on  lord  Wellington 
the  rank  of  a grandee,  with  the  title  of  duke  of  Ciudad 
Rodrigo. 

Marshal  Marmont,  who  had  assumed  the  command 
of  the  French  army,  was  completely  defeated  by  lord 
Wellington  at  Salamanca.  This  was  the  greatest  vic- 
tory that  the  English  general  had  yet  achieved,  and 
sufficiently  showed  that  the  military  talents  of  his 
lordship  were  superior  to  those  of  his  adversary  who 
was  one  of  the  most  distinguished  of  the  French  mar- 
shals. The  effects  of  this  victory  were  felt  in  differ 
1S121  ent  Parts  Spain  Astorga  capitulated,  the 
*’  blockade  of  Cadiz  was  raised,  Bilboa  evacuated. 


214 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND; 


and  Seville  recovered.  Lord  Wellington  advaiicd 
and  laid  siege  to  Burgos  ; but  failing  in  his  attempt  u 
take  it,  and  the  French  army,  which  had  been  rein 
forced,  threatening  the  allies,  his  lordship  retreated, 
and  established  his  head-quarters  at  Freynada,  on  tike 
Portuguese  frontier.  In  admiration  of  his  talents  and 
achievements,  the  cortes  invested  him  with  the  author- 
ity of  commander-in-chief  of  the  Spanish  armies. 

Napoleon’s  enterprise  against  Russia,  which,  in  the 
boldness  of  its  object,  as  well  as  the  magnificent  scale 
on  which  it  was  conducted,  surpassed  every  expedi 
tion  undertaken  by  any  European  power,  threatened 
the  conquest  of  that  mighty  empire.  The  French 
force  emp'oyed  in  this  undertaking,  has  been  estimated 
18P1  at  four  hundred  thousand  effective  men.  On  the 
24th  of  June, Napoleon  with  his  formidable.ariny, 
passed  the  Nieinen,  and  entered  the  Russian  territory. 
The  plan  of  his  adversaries  was,  to  resist  the  progress 
of  the  invader  without  risking  a general  engagement, 
today  waste  the  country  through  which  he  should  aim 
to  penetrate,  and  to  harass  him  as  he  advanced,  and 
cut  off  his  supplies.  Bonaparte  attacked  the  main 
Russian  army  at  Smolensko,  which  the  Russians  des- 
pairing of  regaining,  they  retreated  ; but  the  invaders, 
on  their  entrance,  found  the  city  burning  and  in  ruins. 
The  conqueror  now  hastened  towards  Moscow,  of 
which,  after  the  sanguinary  battle  of  Borodino,  he  ob- 
tained possession. 

On  the  entrance  of  the  French  emperor  into  that 
devoted  place,  which  the  invaders  had  fondly  hoped 
would  have  afforded  some  repose  for  their  toils,  the 
city  was  found  on  fire  ; and  a violent  wind  arising  soon 
after,  ihe  conflagration  became  general, and  the  whole 
extent  of  that  ancient  capital,  for  many  miles,  appear- 
ed like  a sea  of  flame.  Two  thirds  of  the  city  were 
destroyed. 

Napoleon  was  now  in  the  greatest  difficulty.  Hiss 
stores  were  exhausted,  and  his  supplies  intercepted 
by  the  Russian  armies;  and  his  soldiers,  dispirited 
and  discontented,  were  enfeebled  by  the  fatigue  and 
distress  to  which  they  had  been  exposed.  A retrea / 
was  now  inevitable.  The  horrors  of  this  retreat,  ot 
rather  flight,  exceed  the  powers  of  description.  'The 
route  of  the  army  might  be  traced,  in  many  places,  by 


GEORGE  III. 


U 


fhe  dead  bodies  of  those  who  perished  from  cold,  hun- 
ger, or  fatigue  ; and  of  the  numerous  hosts  that  com- 
posed tne  invading  army,  not  more  than  fifty  thousand 
men  recrossed  the  Russian  boundary. 

*The  new  parliament  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland 
assembled  under  happier  auspices  than  the  most  san- 
guine politician  could  have  ventured  to  anticipate. 
The  session  was  opened  by  the  prince  regent,  who  ex- 

firessed  his  firm  reliance  on  the  determination  of  par- 
iament  to  continue  every  aid  in  support  of  a contest, 
which  had  first  given  to  the  continent  of  Europe  the 
example  of  persevering  and  successful  resistance  to 
the  power  of  France.  A grant  of  one  hundred  thou- 
sand pounds  was  voted  to  lord  Wellington,  and  anoth- 
er of  two  hundred  thousand  pounds  for  the  relief  of 
the  sufferers  in  Russia.  A bill  was  passed,  by  which 
the  East  India  Company  was  to  continue  in  posses- 
sion of  all  its  former  territories  in  India,  with  the  later 
acquisitions,  continental  and  insular,  to  the  north  of 
the  equator,  for  the  further  term  of  twenty  years  from 
the  20th  of  April,  1814.  The  exclusive  right  of  a 
commercial  intercourse  with  China,  and  of  the  trade 
in  tea,  was  preserved  to  the  company  3 but  his  majes 
ty’s  subjects  in  general  were  permitted  to  trade  to  and 
from  all  ports  within  the  limits  of  the  company’s  char- 
ter, under  certain  provisions. 

One  of  the  first  effects  of  the  late  Russian  campaign 
18181  was  to  rouse  the  other  powers  of  Europe  from 
-*  their  state  of  subjection  to  the  dominion  of 
France.  Prussia  united  her  arms  to  those  of  Russia; 
and  Austria  did  not  long  delay  to  follow  the  example. 
Sweden,  subsidised  by  Great  Britain,  joined  the  allies. 
The  battle  of  Leipsic  was  completely  decisive  against 
the  French,  and  the  Dutch  availing  themselves  of 
this  opportunity  of  throwing  off  the  galling  yoke  of 
France,  recalled  from  his  long  exile  the  prince  of 
Orange,  who  entered  the  Hague  amidst  the  acclama- 
tions of  the  people.  The  influence  of  Bonaparte  in 
Germany,  was  now  nearly  annihilated  3 and  the  com- 
plete deliverance  of  Europe  from  the  yoke  of  France 
seemed  no  longer  doubtful. 

The  disasters  of  their  countrymen  in  German}  par- 
alyzed the  efforts  of  the  French  in  Spain.  The  skill 
and  activity  of  lord  Wellington  prevented  them  frona 


216 


HISTORY  OF  ENGL  \ND. 


securing  the  line  of  the  Douro  ; and  at  Vittoria,  he 
completely  defeated  the  French,  commanded  by  Jo- 
seph Bonaparte,  under  whom  marshal  Jourdan  acted 
as  major-general.  After  suffering  this  defeat,  the 
French  retired  by  Pampeluna,  and  pursued  their  re* 
treat  over  the  Pyrennees  into  France.  Joseph  Bona- 
parte fled  in  confusion,  and  thus  terminated  his  pos- 
session of  the  Spanish  monarchy. 

In  the  east  of  Spain,  the  success  of  the  allies  was 
less  flattering;  and  sir  John  Murray,  who  had  landed 
an  army  of  fifteen  thousand  men  from  Sicily,  attempt- 
ed the  siege  of  Tarragona;  but,  though  the  town  had 
been  partly  dismantled,  and  was  feebly  garrisoned, 
the  British  general,  on  tne  report  of  Suchet’s  approach 
from  Valencia,  hastily  abandoned  the  siege,  and  left 
his  cannon  in  the  batteries. 

Early  in  January,  the  allied  armies  in  Germany 
passed  the  Rhine  and  entered  France  at  different 
points.  For  some  time,  Napoleon  appeared  irreso- 
lute ; but  when  the  invaders  had  reached  Champagne, 
j..  he  became  convinced  of  the  necessity  of  acting 
-*  with  vigour.  At  Brienne,  he  attacked  marshal 
Blucher,  whom  he  compelled  to  retreat:  but  at  La 
Rothiere,  he  was  obliged  to  retire  in  his  turn.  The 
allies  now  advanced  to  Troyes,  which  was  entered  by 
the  prince  of  Wurtemburg ; Chalons  on  the  Marne 
was  evacuated  by  Macdonald;  and  Chalons  on  the 
Saone  was  taken  by  the  Austrians.  Bonaparte,  on 
the  verge  of  ruin,  made  the  most  surprising  and  ener- 
getic efforts  for  his  recovery.  Unable  to  oppose  an 
adequate  resistance  to  the  allied  armies  in  every  quar- 
ter, he  determined  towioncentrate  his  forces,  and, 
by  bearing  vigorously  on  particular  points,  to  aim  at 
destroying  their  communication  with  each  other.  In 
pursuance  of  this  plan,  he  attacked  the  Prussian  army 
under  Blucher,  and  compelled  him  to  retreat  to  Cha- 
lons on  the  Marne.  He  next  directed  his  attention  to 
prince  Schwartzenberg,  who  had  been  advancing  o? 
Paris,  by  way  of  the  Seine,  and  forced  him  to  retire. 

During  these  transactions,  negotiations  for  peace 
were  carried  on  at  Chati'ilon.  The  British  envoys 
were  the  earl  of  Aberdeen  and  lord  Cathcart,  undei 
the  direction  of  lord  Castlereagh  ; Caulaincourt  was 
the  representative  of  Napoleon;  and  plenipotentiaries 


GEORGE  III. 


217 


. were  also  appointed  by  the  Russian,  Austrian,  and 
Prussian  courts.  The  ultimatum  of  Bonaparte,  how 
ever,  to  maintain  the  integrity  of  the  French  empire, 
were  deemed  inconsistent  with  the  balance  of  power 
in  Europe,  and  on  that  account  the  conferences  ter- 
minated. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  marquis  of  Wellington,  after 
crossing  the  Bidassoa,  gradually  proceeded  in  the  south 
of  France.  His  army  forced  the  passage  of  the  Gave 
de  Pau  at  Orthes,  and  next  day  crossed  the  Adour,  A 
division  under  marshal  Beresford  entered  Bordeaux, 
which  declared  for  the  Bourbons,  and  the  chief  inhab- 
itants welcomed  the  British  troops  as  deliverers. 
Soult  was  defeated  by  the  marquis  of  Wellington  at 
Tarbes,  and  afterwards  at  Toulouse. 

The  allied  armies  in  the  north  of  France  continued 
to  advance,  and,  notwithstanding  the  extraordi  lary 
exertions  and  abilities  displayed  by  Napoleon,  they 
succeeded,  by  a convention  entered  into  with  marshal 
Marmont,  in  obtaining  possession  of  the  city  of  Paris. 
A special  senate  appointed  a provisional  government, 
which  declared,  that  Napoleon  Bonaparte  had  violated 
the  compact  which  united  him  to  the  French  people, 
and  had  thereby  forfeited  his  right  to  the  throne  of 
France. 

Under  these  circumstances,  on  the  4th  of  April  a 
treaty  was  concluded  at  Fontainbleau,  by  which  Bon- 
aparte, on  certain  conditions,  abdicated,  for  himself 
and  his  heirs,  the  thrones  of  France  and  Italy'.  The 
18141  was  possessed  by  him  in  full 

* sovereignty,  and  an  annual  revenue  of  two  mil- 
lions of  francs,  charged  on  the  great  book  of  France  ; 
and  to  his  consort,  Maria  Louisa,  were  assigned  the 
Duiehies  of  Parma,  Placentia,  and  Guastalla.  On  the 
20th  of  the  same  month,  Napoleon  began  his  journey 
to  the  isle  of  Elba,  accompanied  by  four  commission- 
ers from  the  allied  powers. 

Louis  XYT1I.  embarked  at  Dover,  and  was  joyfully 
welcomed  at  Calais  j but  in  the  capital,  the  acclama- 
tions of  the  loyal  people  produced  no  response  from 
the  soldiery.  One  of  the  first  acts  of  Louis  was  to 
issue  a declaration  forming  the  basis  of  the  constitu 
tional  charter,  by  which  the  libertiej  of  the  French 
nation  were  to  be  secured. 


218 


HISTORY  O ENGLAND. 


Peace  was  concluded  between  France  and  the  allied 
powers,  Austria,  Russia,  Great  Britain,  and  Prussia. 
By  this  treaty,  the  continental  dominions  of  Franco 
w ere,  generally  speaking,  restricted  to  the  limits  which 
bounded  them  on  the  1st  of  January,  1792.  Her  colo- 
nies, with  a few  exceptions,  were  restored.  England 
retained  Malta,  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  the  small 
island  of  Heligoland,  besides  some  islands  in  the  East 
and  West  Indies. 

In  the  beginning  of  June,  the  emperor  of  Russia 
and  the  king  of  Prussia  visited  England,  attended  by 
marshal  Blucher,  the  hetman  Platoff,  and  other  distin- 
guished officers.  The  visit  of  these  illustrious  stran- 
gers was  celebrated  in  London,  and  other  parts  of  the 
kingdom  with  extraordinary  rejoicing  and  festivity. 

The  duke  of  Wellington’s  return  was  hailed  with 
no  less  joy  than  the  arrival  of  the  allied  sovereigns. 
On  taking  his  seat  for  the  first  time  in  the  house  of 
lords,  his  various  patents  of  honour,  as  baron,  viscount, 
earl,  marquis,  and  duke,  were  successively  recited  ; 
and  the  thanks  of  the  house,  which  had  been  voted 
the  evening  before,  were  addressed  to  him  by  the 
lord  chancellor.  To  support  these  high  honours,  the 
Sj§m  of  three  hundred  thousand  pounds  was  voted  for 
the  purchase  of  a palace  and  domain  suitable  to  his 
dignity.  Proportionate  honours  and  emoluments  were 
assigned  to  his  gallant  companions  in  arms  ; and  gen 
era’s  Graham,  Hill,  and  Beresford,  were  raised  to  the 
peerage. 

While  peace  was  thus  happily  restored  to  Europe, 
the  war  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States 
of  America  still  raged  with  much  animosity,  devasta- 
tion, and  bloodshed.  At  length,  however,  on  the  24th 
J8141  December,  a treaty  of  pacification  was  ef- 
° ‘ fected  between  the  two  countries  at  Ghent; 

and  for  the  first  time,  after  the  period  of  a quarter  of 
a century,  with  the  exception  of  the  feverisn  truce 
of  Amiens,  a general  peace  prevailed  in  both  hemis- 
pheres, and  for  the  present  the  temple  of  Janus  was 
closed. 

The  return  of  Bonaparte  from  Elba  created  a strong 
feeling  throughout  Europe.  This  extraordinary  man 
landed  in  the  south  of  France,  with  a few  followers, 
on  the  1st  of  March,  and  was  every  where  received 


GEORGE  III. 


219 


|o«  c | with  extravagant  joy.  On  the  20th  of  the  same 
-*  month,  Louis  XVIII.  fled  from  Paris,  and  on 
the  evening  of  the  same  day,  Napoleon  entered  that 
capital,  and  resumed  the  government. 

His  first  attempt  was  to  conciliate  the  allies,  to 
whom  he  proposed  to  maintain  the  peace  which  had 
been  concluded  with  Louis  at  Paris;  but  the  allies 
rejected  the  proposition,  and  began  immediately  to 
put  their  armies  in  motion,  with  the  avowed  design 
of  once  more  displacing  him,  and  restoring  the  Bour- 
bons. The  English  and  Prussians  were  first  assembled 
in  the  Netherlands  under  Wellington  and  Blucher; 
and  Napoleon,  at  the  head  of  150,000  men,  advanced 
against  them,  on  the  12th  of  June.  At  Charleroi,  he 
encountered  the  Prussians,  who,  after  great  loss,  re- 
treated upon  Wavre,  where  they  were  followed  by  the 
French  right  wing  under  Grouchy.  On  the  next  day, 
the  left  division  of  the  French  army  had  a severe 
conflict  with  the  English  and  Dutch  at  Quatre  Bras, 
after  which  the  British  division  retreated  to  Waterloo, 
where,  meeting  with  reinforcements,  was  fought  one 
June  18  severest'  engagements  recorded  in  his- 

l^jA’tory.  The  French  made  the  attack  about 
noon,  and  persevered  with  great  fury  durii^ 
the  whole  day.  About  four  in  the  afternoon,  a Prus- 
sian army,  under  Bulow,  arrived  on  the  field,  and  as- 
sisted in  checking  the  .'mpetuosity  of  the  French;  at 
seven  o’clock,  the  remainder  of  the  Prussians  under 
Blucher  arrived  from  Wavre  ; and  assailing  the  French 
on  their  rear  to  the  right,  a general  confusion  in  their 
army  took  place’,  and  at  nine  o’clock  they  fled  in  dis- 
order towards  Charleroi,  leaving  30,000  killed  and 
wounded,  and  all  their  cannon  and  materials  of  war 
in  the  hands  of  the  victors. 

The  Prussians  continued  the  pursuit  throughout  the 
night.  On  the  side  of  the  allies,  the  total  of  killed 
and  wounded  was  not  inferior  to  that  of  the  French, 
and  among  them  were  many  officers  of  distinction, 
who  had  acquired  great  celebrity  during  the  previous 
wars. 

The  English  and  Prussian  armies  now  advanced  rap 
idly  into  France,  and  invested  Paris,  and  in  a few  days 
the  French  provisional  government  entered  into  a 
convention.  Louis  XVIII.,  w ho  in  the  interim  had 


220 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


resided  at  Ghent,  at  the  same  time  entered  his  capi 
tal  ; and  though  there  was  still  a considerable  French 
force  in  the  field  and  in  garrisons,  it  was  reduced  to 
submission  in  a short  time  by  the  armies  of  Austria 
and  Russia,  which  had  also  penetrated  France. 

Meanwhile  Bonaparte,  who,  after  abdicating  at  Paris 
in  favour  of  his  son,  had  proceeded  to  Rochfort  for 
the  purpose  of  embarking  for  America,  finding  it  im- 
practicable to  elude  the  vigilance  of  the  British  cruis- 
ers, went  voluntarily  on  board  a British  man-of-war, 
which  immediately  sailed  for  Torbay.  The  decision 
of  the  British  government,  in  concert  with  the  allies, 
was,  that  he  should  be  conveyed  to  the  island  of  St. 
Helena,  in  the  southern  Atlantic,  there  to  reside  as  a 
state  prisoner,  under  the  inspection  of  commissioners 
appointed  by  each  of  the  confederate  powers. 

By  the  arrangements  of  the  congress,  to  which  lord 
Castlereagh  was  deputed  on  the  part  of  the  English 
government,  the  seven  Ionian  islands  were  placed  un- 
der the  protection  of  Great  Britain  ; to  whose  sove- 
reign was  also  confirmed  the  title  of  king  of  Hanover. 

While  these  important  events  were  passing  in  Eu- 
rope, the  arms  of  Britain  had  achieved  some  valuable 
conquests  in  Asia.  A dispute  had  arisen  between  the 
East-India  Company  and  the  Nepaulese,  concerning 
their  boundaries;  and  the  Nepaulese,  who  were  a 
brave  and  hardy  race,  endeavoured  to  force  their  pre- 
tensions by  the  sword ; but  they  were  overcome  by 
the  British  troops,  directed  by  the  marquis  of  Hast- 
ings, and  the  whole  tract  of  territory  in  dispute  was 
ceded  to  the  East-India  Company. 

An  important  revolution  took  place  at  this  time  in 
Ceylon.  The  king  of  Candy,  who  possessed  the  inte- 
rior of  the  island,  having  alienated  the  hearts  of  his 
subjects  by  a series  of  cruelties,  and  provoked  the 
hostility  of  his  powerful  neighbours,  was  dethroned 
and  his  family  excluded  from  the  crown.  A treaty 
was  signed  in  a solemn  assembly  of  adikars  and  other 
chiefs  of  the  provinces,  by  which  the  dominion  of 
the  Candian  empire  was  vested  in  the  king  of  Great 
Britain,  with  a reservation  to  those  chiefs  of  their 
rights  and  immunities. 

An  event,  which  gave  universal  satisfaction,  was 
the  marriage  of  the  princess  Charlotte  of  W iles,  pro- 


GEORGE  1L1. 


221 


(816] 


•imptive  heiress  to  the  British  throne,  to  the 


i8l7] 


prince  Leopold  of  Saxe-Cobourg.  A naval  expe- 
dition was  this  year  undertaken  against  Algiers,  which 
had  refused  to  abolish  Christian  slavery.  The  dey 
commenced  hostilities  by  the  seizure  and  imprison- 
ment of  the  British  vice-consul,  and  by  a most  horri- 
ble massacre  of  Christians  engaged  in  the  coral  fishe- 
ry at  Bona.  Lord  Exmouth  attacked  Algiers  with  a 
formidable  armament  j and  the  dey,  after  a tremen- 
dous conflict,  was  compelled  to  accede  to  the  terms 
of  the  English  admiral. 

In  England,  great  distress  prevailed,  particularly  in 
the  manufacturing  districts,  in  which  the  people  suf- 
fered from  a depreciation  of  wages,  consequent  on  an 
almost  total  stagnation  of  trade.  The  public  mind 
was  agitated  by  rumours  of  plots  and  conspiracies, 
and  at  Derby,  a number  of  persons  were  tried  for  high 
treason,  and  three  of  them  being  found  guilty,  under- 
went the  dreadful  sentence  of  the  law. 

The  hopes  founded  on  the  happy  union  of  the  prir.ce 
regent’s  only  daughter  with  the  prince  of  Co- 
bourg,  were  fatally  blighted  on  the  6th  of  No- 
vember, by  the  death  of  that  amiable  princess,  at  a 
short  period  after  her  delivery  of  a still-born  male  in- 
fant, to  the  unspeakable  grief  of  the  royal  family,  and 
the  general  sorrow  of  the  whole  nation. 

After  a long  and  severe  illness,  queen  Charlotte, 
consort  of  George  III.,  died  on  the  17th  of  November. 
In  consequence  of  her  death,  the  duke  of  York  was 
appointed  guardian  of  the  king’s  person,  with  a 
salary  of  ten  thousand  pounds  a year. 

The  spirit  of  discontent,  which  had  already  appear- 
ed in  the  manufacturing  districts,  now  became  alarm- 
ing. A meeting  of  the  people  was  held  at  Manchester, 
on  the  16th  of  August,  for  the  purpose  of  petitioning 
for  a reform  in  parliament,  to  the  number  of  60,000, 
carrying  various  banners.  Mr.  Hunt,  the  chair- 
man, and  some  others,  were  arrested  on  the 
hustings,  and  a party  of  yeomanry  cavalry  begin- 
ning io  strike  down  the  banners,  a scene  of  dreadful 
confusion  arose ; numbers  were  trampled  under  the 
feet  of  men  and  horses  ; many  persons,  even  females, 
were  cut  down  by  sabres  ; some  were  killed,  and  be- 
tween three  ard  four  hundred  were  wounded  and 


1818] 


1819] 


mi 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


maimed.  The  interference  of  an  armed  yeomanry  foi 
die  prevention  rather  than  for  the  suppression  of  riot, 
produced  a strong  sensation  throughout  the  country  • 
and  addresses  on  this  unfortunate  affair  were  prepared 
>n  the  principal  cities  and  towns  in  the  kingdom. 

At  the  close  of  the  year,  it  was  announced,  that  the 
bodily  health  of  the  king  had  partaken  cf  some  of  the 
infirmities  of  age  ; and  on  Saturday,  the  2‘Jth  of  Jan- 
18^01  uai7>  thirty-five  minutes  past  eight  in  the 
-•  evening,  his  majesty  expired  without  a strug- 
gle, in  the  eighty-second  year  of  his  age.  Thus  ter- 
minated, in  its  sixtieth  year,  the  reign  of  George  the 
Third,  a sovereign  who  deserved  to  be  emphatically 
styled  the  father  of  his  people.  Their  loyalty  and  af- 
fection were  always  considered  by  him  as  tne  best 
and  most  permanent  security  of  his  throne  j and  by 
his  own  example,  he  promoted  among  them  the  prac- 
tice of  those  duties  which  alone  could  enable  them 
to  enjoy  the  blessings  of  civil  and  religious  liberty, 
as  guarantied  by  the  constitution.  His  habitual  piety, 
and  constant  trust  in  Providence,  greatly  strengthened 
the  natural  courage  and  firmness  which  he  possessed, 
and  for  which,  on  occasions  of  personal  danger,  he 
was  so  eminently  distinguished.  If,  in  matters  of  state 
policy,  he  sometimes  evinced  a tenaciousness  of  pur- 
pose, which  seemed  to  border  on  obstinacy,  this  must 
be  attributed  to  his  strong  sense  of  the  obligations  un- 
der which  he  considered  himself  bound,  in  discharge 
of  the  important  trust  committed  to  him.  He  was 
punctually  assiduous  in  the  exercise  of  his  royal  func 
lions,  and  exemplary  in  the  fulfilment  of  all  the  social 
duties.  Temperance  and  exercise  secured  to  him  for 
a long  period  the  enjoyment  of  uninterrupted  health. 
The  English  sceptre  may  have  been  swayed  by  sove- 
reigns endowed  with  more  splendid  qualities  than 
those  of  George  the  Third  ; but  it  may  be  greatly 
doubted  whether  any  of  his  predecessors,  since  Ed 
ward  the  Sixth,  has  borne  his  faculties  so  meekly,  or 
been  “so  clear  in  his  grea4  office.” 


GEORGE  IV. 


223 


CHAPTER  XI. 

The  Reign  of  George  IV. 

(A.D.  1820.)  The  accession  of  a monarch,  who 
had  been  actually  in  the  possession  of  sovereign 
power  for  so  many  previous  years,  produced  no  im- 
portant political  changes.  George  IV.  was  publicly 
proclaimed  on  the  31st  of  January  in  London  and 
Westminster,  and  matters  went  on  for  some  time  in 
their  ordinary  course.  On  the  23d  of  February,  the 
metropolis  was  astounded  by  intelligence  of  a plot 
being  discovered  for  the  assassination  of  his  majes- 
ty’s ministers.  The  Cato-street  conspiracy,  as  it 
was  called,  from  the  little  street  near  the  Edgeware- 
road,  where  the  conspirators  used  to  assemble,  was 
planned  by  Thistlewood,  who  had  been  before  ac- 
quitted on  a charge  of  treason,  and  some  other  men 
of  desperate  fortunes.  Their  design  was  to  obtain, 
on  some  pretence,  admission  to  Lord  Harrowby’s, 
when  the  ministers  were  assembled  at  a cabinet  din- 
ner, and  there  murder  the  entire  party.  But  all 
their  plans  were  betrayed  to  government  by  a spy, 
and  a strong  body  of  police,  accompanied  by  a de- 
tachment of  the  guards,  burst  into  their  rendezvous 
at  the  moment  that  they  were  preparing  for  the  ex- 
ecution of  their  designs.  After  some  resistance,  in 
which  Smithers,  a police  officer,  was  killed,  they 
were  overpowered,  and  the  greater  part  made  pris- 
oners ; Thistlewood  made  his  escape,  but  was  sub- 
sequently taken  at  a house  in  Moorfields.  Suoh 
was  the  poverty  and  misery  of  these  wretched  mad- 
men, who  proposed  to  subvert  a powerful  govern- 
ment, that  when  they  were  searched,  not  even  a 
shilling  was  found  among  the  whole  party.  They 
were  soon  after  brought  to  trial : Thistlewood  and 
four  others  were  executed,  some  more  transported, 
and  government,  satisfied  with  these  examples,  gave 
up  the  prosecution  against  the  rest.  Preparations 
were  now  commenced  for  the  coronation  Of  his 
majesty,  and  immediately  after  this  ceremony,  he 
paid  a visit  to  Dublin,  and  was  received  by  the  Irish 
people  with  a burst  of  loyal  affection  such  as  was 


224 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


probibly  never  before  witnessed.  After  a short 
visit,  he  embarked  at  Kingstown  in  the  presence  of 
a countless  multitude,  who  rent  the  air  with  accla- 
mations, and  with  blessings  on  the  head  of  the  first 
English  sovereign  who  had  visited  Ireland  without 
hostile  intentions.  Shortly  after  his  return,  the 
king  made  an  excursion  to  Hanover,  the  cradle  of 
his  race ; and  after  a brief  stay  returned  to  Eng- 
land. 

Great  distress  was  experienced  throughout  the 
British  islands  by  the  depreciation  of  agricultural 
produce,  and  consequent  difficulty  of  paying  rents. 
In  Ireland,  the  mutual  discontents  of  the  land- 
holders and  peasantry  led  to  several  outrages  on 
the  part  of  the  latter,  perfectly  disgraceful  to  a civ- 
ilized country.  By  a little  vigorous  exertion,  how- 
ever, these  violences  were  repressed,  and  compara- 
tive tranquillity  restored.  The  distress  of  the 
lower  classes,  which  indeed  -almost  exceeded  credi- 
bility, was  relieved  by  a general  and  generous 
subscription  in  England,  which  arrested  the  prog- 
ress of  a pestilential  disease,  produced  by  famine 
and  distress. 

A time  of  profound  peace  furnishes  but  few  inci- 
dents worthy  of  being  recorded  by  the  historian ; 
during  such  a period  a nation  is  silently  employed 
in  improving  its  resources  and  repairing  the  injuries 
which  had  been  inflicted  by  war  on  its  finances. 
The  unparalleled  contest  in  which  England  had 
been  so  long  engaged,  imposed  on  her  rulers  a task 
of  no  ordinary  difficulty ; the  immense  debt  which 
had  been  accumulated,  required  a large  taxation  to 
pay  its  interest ; and  though  many  exertions  have 
been  made  to  relieve  the  country  from  such  pres- 
sure, no  extensive  reduction  can  reasonably  be  ex- 
pected for  a very  long  period.  (1822.)  After  the 
termination  of  the  parliamentary  session,  the  king 
proceeded  to  visit  the  Scottish  capital,  and  was  re- 
ceived by  his  northern  subjects  with  the  utmost 
enthusiasm.  The  festivities  were,  however,  soon 
interrupted  by  the  melancholy  news  of  the  death  of 
the  marquis  of  Londonderry,  the  secretary  for  for- 
eign affairs,  who  had  committed  suicide  in  a fit  of 
temporary  insanity.  After  an  interval  of  more  than 


GEORGE  IV.  225 

• 

a month,  Mr.  Canning  was  appointed  his  successor, 
and  received  the  seals  of  office  at  a time  when  a 
minister  possessing  his  talent  and  his  energy  was 
most  wanting  to  the  country. 

A sanguinary  struggle  for  the  liberation  of  Greece 
from  the  Turkish  yoke  had  commenced  some  time 
previously,  but  had  long  produced  no  result  but 
terrific  massacres.  The  principal  members  of  the 
holy  alliance  viewed  the  insurrection  of  the  Greeks 
with  secret  dislike ; but  the  sympathies  of  the 
greater  part  of  the  people  of  Europe  were  awakened 
in  their  favor,  and  several  volunteers  from  England 
and  other  countries  tendered  their  assistance  to  the 
insurgents.  (1824.)  Lord  Byron,  whose  poetry  had 
created  a powerful  feeling  in  favor  of  the  Greeks, 
proceeded  to  aid  them  by  his  personal  exertions, 
but  unfortunately  fell  a victim  to  a fever  at  Misso 
longhi,  in  Western  Greece. 

From  the  time  that  the  union  between  England 
and  Ireland  had  been  effected,  attempts  were  annu- 
ally made  for  the  repeal  of  the  remaining  restrictive 
laws  against  the  Roman  Catholics;  repeated  fail- 
ures by  no  means  diminished  the  hopes  of  the 
Catholic  leaders  and  their  friends  ; and  in  Ireland 
they  formed  a permanent  association  for  the  further- 
ance of  their  objects.  (1825.)  The  members  of  the 
Catholic  Association  were  not  always  very  measured 
in  their  language,  or  temperate  in  their  attacks  on 
government,  and  it  was  judged  expedient  to  sup- 
press meetings  which  were  pregnant  with  danger. 
A bill  for  extending  the  law  in  Ireland  against 
illegal  societies  was  introduced  into  parliament,  and 
as  it  was  expected  that  catholic  emancipation  would 
immediately  follow,  it  passed  with  but  little  opposi- 
tion. This  hope  was,  however,  doomed  to  be  disap- 
pointed, the  catholic  question  was  indeed  carried 
in  the  lower  house,  but  it  was  lost  in  the  lords  prin- 
cipally on  account  of  the  exertions  made  by  his 
royal  highness  the  Duke  of  York. 

(A.D.  1827-)  Death  and  disease  among  the  great 
and  noble  of  the  land,  produced  some  important 
changes  in  the  councils  of  Great  Britain.  On  the 
5th  of  January,  his  royal  highness  the  Duke  of 
York  died,  sincerely  and  generally  lamented,  more 
VOL.  II.  15 


225  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

especially  by  the  army  ; for  his  conduct  ever  since 
his  restoration  to  the  office  of  commander-in-chief, 
had  deservedly  procured  for  him  the  endearing  ap- 
pellation of  “ the  soldier’s  friend.”  On  the  17th  of 
Februarv,  the  Earl  of  Liverpool,  Prime  Minister  of 
England,  was  seized  with  a fit  of  apoplexy,  which 
terminated  his  political  existence,  though  his  natu- 
ral life  was  prolonged  to  the  close  of  the  succeeding 
year.  He  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Canning,  whose 
commanding  eloquence  and  enlightened  views  had 
made  him  almost  irresistible  in  the  house  of  com- 
mons. But  the  additional  fatigues  imposed  upon 
this  highly-gifted  statesman,  and  the  fierce  opposi- 
tion he  had  to  encounter,  proved  too  much  for  a 
constitution  already  enfeebled  by  neglected  disease ; 
he  died  on  the  8th  of  August,  in  the  fifty-eighth 
year  of  his  age.  Mr.  F.  Robinson,  having  been 
elevated  to  the  peerage,  by  the  title  of  Lord  Gode- 
rich, was  next  appointed  premier ; but  his  adminis- 
tration was  loose  and  unsettled,  and  the  cabinet 
which  he  had  formed  soon  fell  to  pieces.  The  Duke 
of  Wellington  was  then  called  by  his  majesty  to 
preside  over  the  councils  of  Britain,  and  aided  by 
Mr.  Peel,  he  succeeded  in  forming  a ministry,  prom- 
ising more  firmness  and  stability  than  that  which  it 
succeeded 

(A.D.  1828.)  After  the  resignation  of  Lord  Gode- 
rich, Mr.  Huskisson  and  some  other  friends  of  the 
late  Mi*.  Canning,  had  joined  in  the  Duke  of  Wel- 
lington’s administration,  but  they  found  that  little 
harmony  could  exist  in  such  a coalition.  At  length 
Mr.  Huskisson,  having  voted  against  ministers, 
tendered  his  resignation,  which  to  his  great  surprise 
and  mortification  was  accepted,  nor  could  all  his 
subsequent  efforts  alter  the  inflexible  spirit  of  the 
Duke  of  Wellington.  The  time  of  the  house  of 
commons  was  wasted  in  the  discussion  of  this  and 
similar  disputes  ; but  one  act  of  the  session  made 
an  important  change  in  the  forms  of  the  constitu- 
tion. The  test  and  corporation  acts,  which  required 
the  receiving  of  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord’s  sup- 
per, according  to  the  rites  of  the  church  of  England, 
as  a necessary  qualification  for  office,  were  repealed 
after  a brief  parliamentary  struggle  ; and  the  hopes 


GEORGE  IV. 


227 


of  the  Roman  Catholics,  for  the  repeal  of  the  laws 
by  which  they  were  excluded  from  parliament,  were 
greatly  raised  by  this  event.  A motion  in  their 
favor  was  made  by  Sir  Francis  Burdett,  and  carried 
by  a majority  of  six  ; but  it  terminated  ineffectively, 
as  a similar  motion  was  negatived  in  the  house  of 
peers. 

(A.D.  1829.)  The  commencement  of  the  ensuing 
session  of  parliament  was  expected  by  all  parties 
with  the  utmost  anxiety ; and  it  was  not  without 
surprise,  that  both  parties  found  catholic  emancipa- 
tion recommended  in  the  speech  from  the  throne. 
A bill  to  give  effect  to  this  recommendation  passed 
both  houses  by  triumphant  majorities,  though  not 
without  encountering  a vigorous  opposition,  and 
received  the  royal  assent  on  the  13th  of  April. 

From  the  date  of  this  important  change  in  the 
constitution,  to  the  close  of  the  reign,  nothing  of 
great  importance  occurred  in  England;  but  in 
France  the  dissatisfaction  of  the  people  with  their 
rulers  became  daily  more  manifest.  An  expedition 
was  undertaken  against  Algiers,  probably  with  the 
hope  of  diverting  the  attention  of  the  French  peo- 
ple from  politics,  to  what  had  been  so  long  their 
favorite  passion,  — military  glory.  (A.D,.  1830.) 
The  expedition  was  eminently  successful ; Algiers 
was  captured,  and  the  entire  presidency  subjected 
.to  the  power  of  France : but  the  discontents  of  the 
French  people  continued  to  rage  with  as  much  vio- 
lence as  ever. 

The  illness  of  the  king  in  the  commencement  of 
the  year  1830  threw  a damp  on  public  affairs,  and  as 
its  fatal  tendency  became  more  apparent,  specula- 
tions were  rife  on  the  probable  political  conduct  of 
his  successor.  After  a tedious  sickness,  which  he 
sustained  with  great  fortitude  and  resignation, 
George  IV.  died  at  Windsor  Castle,  on  the  25th  of 
June. 


223 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Reign  of  William  TV, 

Rarely  has  the  accession  of  a new  sovereign 
afforded  such  general  satisfaction,  as  was  manifested 
by  all  classes,  when  the  Duke  of  Clarence  ascended 
the  throne  with  the  title  of  William  IY.  Unlike 
his  predecessors,  his  habits  were  economical  and 
his  manners  familiar;  he  exhibited  himself  to  his 
people,  conversed  with  them,  and  shared  in  their 
tastes  and  amusements  ; within  a few  weeks  he  at- 
tained an  unprecedented  degree  of  popularity,  and 
was  reverenced  by  his  subjects  as  a father,  and  loved 
by  them  as  a friend.  No  change  was  made  in  the 
ministry  ; but  as  his  majesty  was  connected  by  mar- 
riage with  some  of  the  leading  whigs,  it  was  gen- 
erally believed  that  the  policy  which  rigidly  excluded 
that  party  from  office  during  the  two  preceding 
reigns,  would  not  be  maintained  in  full  force.  The 
hopes  of  a coalition  between  the  Wellington  admin- 
istration and  the  whigs  were,  however,  soon  dis- 
pelled ; the  opposition  to  the  ministry,  which  had 
been  almost  nominal  during  the  preceding  sessions, 
was  more  than  usually  violent  in  the  debate  on  the 
address ; and  though  the  formal  business  of  both 
houses  was  hurried  through  with  all  possible  des- 
patch, the  whigs  were  pledged  to  a virtual  declara- 
tion of  war  against  the  cabinet  before  the  proroga- 
tion of  parliament. 

The  parliament  was  dissolved  on  the  24th  of  July, 
but  before  it  could  be  again  convened,  the  revolu- 
tionary movements  in  neighboring  countries  pro- 
duced important  effects  on  the  public  mind,  and.  in 
some  degree  convulsed  all  Europe. 

Several  insurrectionary  movements  took  place  in 
Germany ; the  Duke  of  Brunswick  was  deposed, 
and  replaced  by  his  brother;  the  King  of  Saxony 
was  forced  to  resign  in  favor  of  his  nephew,  and  the 
Elector  of  Hesse  was  compelled  to  grant  a constitu- 
tional charter  to  his  subjects.  Poland  next  became 
the  theatre  of  war ; its  Russian  emperor,  the  Arch- 
duke Constantine,  was  expelled,  and  the  indepen- 


WILLIAM  IV.  229 

dence  of  the  country  proclaimed ; but  after  a long 
and  sanguinary  struggle,  the  gallant  Poles  were 
forced  to  yield  to  the  gigantic  power  of  Russia. 

In  England,  the  rural  districts,  especially  Kent 
and  the  northern  countries,  exhibited  alarming 
signs  of  popular  discontent;  but  the  agitation  in 
Ireland  was  of  a still  more  dangerous  character, 
and  seemed  to  threaten  the  dismemberment  of  the 
empire.  Great  anxiety  was  felt  for  the  opening  of 
parliament,  and  the  development  of  the  line  of  pol- 
icy which  the  ministers  would  adopt  at  such  a crisis. 
It  was  with  surprise  that  the  people  learned  from 
the  premier,  on  the  very  first  night  of  the  session, 
that  not  only  he  was  unprepared  to  bring  forward 
any  measure  of  reform,  but  that  he  would  strenu- 
ously oppose  any  change  in  parliamentary  represen- 
tation. The  unpopularity  which  the  Duke  of  Wel- 
lington seemed  almost  to  have  courted  by  this 
declaration,  was  studiously  aggravated  by  the  acts 
of  his  opponents  ; and  when  the  king  had  accepted 
the  invitation  of  the  Lord  Mayor  to  dine  with  the 
citizens  on  the  9th  of  November,  a letter  was  sent 
to  the  Duke  of  Wellington  by  a city  magistrate, 
warning  him  that  he  would  be  insulted,  perhaps  in 
jured,  by  the  mob,  if  he  did  not  come  protected  by 
a military  escort.  The  ministers  in  alarm  resolved 
to  put  a stop  to  the  entire  proceedings,  and  on  the 
8th  of  November,  to  the  great  astonishment  of  the 
public,  it  was  announced,  not  only  that  the  king’s 
visit  would  be  postponed,  but  that  there  would  be 
neither  the  usual  civic  procession  in  honor  of  the 
new  Lord  Mayor,  nor  the  dinner  in  the  Guild-hall, 
for  which  great  preparations  had  been  made,  in  con- 
sequence, as  was  alleged,  of  some  seditious  con- 
spiracy. The  first  effect  of  the  announcement  was 
a general  panic ; the  funds  fell  four  per  cent,  in  one 
day,  and  the  whole  country  was  filled  with  anxiety 
and  alarm.  But  when  it  was  discovered  that  no 
serious  grounds  existed  for  the  apprehensions  which 
had  been  excited,  all  who  had  a share  in  exciting  it 
were  assailed  with  a tempest  of  indignant  ridicule, 
which  even  a stronger  cabinet  than  that  of  the  Duke 
of  Wellington  could  not  have  resisted.  When  the 
ministerial  measure  for  the  arrangement  for  the 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


230 

civil  list  was  introduced,  Sir  Henry  Parnell  moved 
a resolution  which  implied  that  the  ministers  no 
longer  possessed  the  confidence  of  parliament. 
After  a calm  debate,  marked  by  unusual  moderation 
on  both  sides,  the  resolution  was  carried  in  a full 
house  by  a majority  of  twenty-nine  votes  ; the  Duke 
of  Wellington  and  his  colleagues  instantly  re- 
signed, and  Earl  Gray  received  his  majesty’s  com- 
mands to  form  a new  administration. 

Great  anxiety  was  felt  about  the  nature  of  the 
reform  which  the  ministers  would  propose.  Their 
measure  was  developed  to  the  house  of  commons 
by  Lord  John  Russell,  on  the  1st  of  March,  1831, 
and  it  was  found  to  include  a greater  amount  of 
change  than  had  been  anticipated,  either  by  friends 
or  enemies.  All  boroughs  not  containing  two  thou- 
sand inhabitants  were  totally  disfranchised,  those 
that  had  less  than  four  thousand  were  restricted  to 
returning  one  member,  and  the  rights  of  represen- 
tation of  which  these  were  deprived,  were  given  to 
large  manufacturing  towns,  four  districts  of  the 
metropolis,  and  to  divisions  of  the  large  countries. 
Similar  changes  were  proposed  in  the  representa- 
tion of  Scotland  and  Ireland. 

A measure  which  involved  so  important  a change 
in  the  constitution,  was  one  which  necessarily  pro- 
voked protracted  discussions.  The  debate  on  its 
introduction  lasted  seven  nights ; the  second  reading 
of  the  bill  was  carried  only  by  a majority  of  one. 
The  ministers  were  subsequently  defeated  on  two 
divisions,  and  were  compelled  either  to  resign  their 
situations  or  dissolve  the  parliament.  His  majesty 
carried  his  resolution  into  effect  to  support  the  cab- 
inet by  dissolving  the  parliament  in  person,  and  an 
appeal  was  then  made  to  the  people,  on  the  most 
important  constitutional  question  that  had  been 
raised  since  the  accession  of  the  house  of  Hanover. 

The  event  of  the  elections  more  than  answered 
the  expectations  of  the  most  ardent  reformer.  When 
the  new  parliament  met,  it  appeared  that  fully  two- 
thirds  of  the  representatives  were  pledged  to  sup- 
port the  minister.  The  progress  of  the  Reform  Bill 
through  the  house  of  commons  though  slow  was 
certain,  and  on  the  22d  of  September  it  was  sent  up 


WILLIAM  IV. 


231 


to  the  lords.  Its  fate  in  the  upper  house  was  very 
different ; it  was  rejected  on  a secon/I  reading  by  a 
majority  of  forty-one.  This  decision  produced  vio- 
lent and  even  dangerous  excitement  : but  the 
promptitude  with  which  the  house  of  commons,  on 
the  motion  of  Lord  Ebrington,  pledged  itself  to  the 
support  of  the  ministers  and  their  measure,  calmed 
the  agitation  in  the  metropolis  and  the  greater  part 
of  the  country.  Serious  riots,  however,  took  place 
at  Derby  and  Nottingham,  which  were  not  quelled 
until  considerable  mischief  had  been  perpetrated ; 
Bristol  suffered  still  more  severely  from  the  excesses 
of  an  infuriate  mob,  and  the  disturbances  were  not 
suppressed  until  an  immense  quantity  of  public  and 
private  property  had  been  wantonly  destroyed. 

In  the  midst  of  this  political  excitement  the 
country  was  visited  by  a pestilential  disease  called 
the  Asiatic  cholera,  which  proved  very  destructive, 
though  its  ravages  were  not  so  great  in  England  as 
in  some  parts  of  the  continent.  This  must,  under 
Providence,  be  atttibuted  to  the  judicious  measures 
adopted  by  the  government,  and  to  the  zealous  ex- 
ertions of  all  the  gentlemen  connected  with  the 
medical  profession  throughout  the  empire.  In  Ire- 
land Agrarian  insurrections  were  added  to  the  hor- 
rors of  pestilence  ; the  peasants,  driven  to  despera- 
tion by  famine  and  oppression  on  the  one  hand,  and 
stimulated  by  the  violent  harrangues  of  itinerant 
demagogues  on  the  other,  committed  several  atro- 
cious outrages,  which  could  not  be  restrained  by  the 
ordinary  operations  of  constitutional  law.  France 
and  Italy  were  also  disturbed  by  insurrectionary 
movements,  which  were,  however,  soon  suppressed  ; 
and  the  revolution  of  Belgium  was  completed,  by 
its  being  formed  into  a monarchy  under  Prince  Leo- 
pold of  Saxe  Coburg,  whose  chief  recommendation 
was  his  connection  with  the  royal  family  of  Eng- 
land. 

These  circumstances  induced  the  ministers  to 
convene  parliament  for  the  third  time  within  the 
year ; the  Reform  Bill  was  again  introduced,  and 
after  the  second  reading  had  been  carried  by  a deci- 
sive majority,  the  houses  adjourned  till  the  com- 
mencement of  the  following  year.  When  they  re- 


232 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


assembled,  the  Reform  Bill  was  carried  steadily 
through  its  remaining  stages  in  the  lower  house, 
and  once  more  brought  into  the  house  of  peers, 
where  its  fate  was  regarded  with  great  anxiety. 
Several  of  its  former  opponents,  called  waverers, 
had  resolved  to  vote  for  the  second  reading,  with 
the  hope  that  the  measure  might  be  greatly  modi- 
fied in  committee,  and  by  their  aid  the  bill  passed 
this  important  stage  by  a majority  of  nine.  But 
the  ministers  had  no  reason  to  boast  of  this  suc- 
cess ; more  than  twenty  of  those  who  had  supported 
the  second  reading  were  pledged  to  resist  the  most 
important  clauses,  and  by  their  aid,  a motion  for 
instruction  to  the  committee  on  the  bill,  which  vir- 
tually took  all  control  over  the  measure  out  of  the 
hands  of  its  proposers,  was  carried  by  a majority  of 
thirty-five.  Lord  Grey,  in  conjunction  with  his  col- 
leagues, proposed  to  the  king  a new  creation  of 
peers  ; his  majesty  refused  his  assent  to  so  extreme 
a measure,  ana  all  the  members  of  the  cabinet  in- 
stantly resigned.  The  king  then  applied  to  the 
Duke  of  Wellington  to  form  a new  administration, 
and  his  grace  undertook  the  task  under  circum- 
stances of  greater  difficulty  than  had  yet  been  en- 
countered by  a British  statesman.  Opposed  by  the 
bulk  of  the  nation  and  by  a large  majority  in  the 
house  of  commons,  the  duke  soon  discovered  that 
it  would  be  out  of  his  power  to  form  a ministry  ; he 
therefore  resigned  the  commission,  and  advised  the 
king  to  recall  his  former  advisers.  Lord  Grey  re- 
turned to  power,  having  secured  the  success  of  the 
Reform  Bill  by  a compromise  with  its  opponents. 
It  was  agreed  that  the  ministers  should  not  create 
peers,  but  that  the  leaders  of  the  opposition  should 
secede  from  the  house  until  the  Reform  Bill  became 
the  law  of  the  land.  Under  these  circumstances 
the  measure  was  passed  without  any  impediment 
through  its  remaining  stages,  &nd  on  the  7th  of 
June  it  received  the  royal  assent. 

(A.D.  1833  — 7.)  The  revolution  in  France,  the 
excitement  attending  the  agitation  of  the  Reform 
Bill  in  England,  the  difficulty  which  impeded  tho 
arrangement  of  the  affairs  of  Belgium,  and  the  war 
in  Poland,  threatened  consequences  fatal  to  the 


WILLIAM  IV. 


233 


peace  of  Europe ; it  was  only  by  slow  degrees  that 
the  agitated  waves  were  stilled,  and  appearances 
more  than  once  threatened  a renewal  of  the  storm. 
Louis  was  zealously  supported  by  the  middle  classes 
in  France,  but  he  was  exposed  to  the  plots  of  the 
Carlists  and  republicans,  who  were  equally  hostile 
to  the  continuance  of  a government  so  adverse  to 
their  favorite  schemes.  A Carlist  insurrection  in 
the  south  of  France,  and  a republican  riot  at  the 
funeral  of  General  Lamarque  in  Paris,  threatened 
to  involve  the  nation  in  the  perils  of  a civil  war ; 
but  the  republicans  were  unable  to  withstand  the 
firmness  of  the  national  guard,  and  the  capture  of 
the  Duchess  of  Berri  put  an  end  to  the  war  in  the 
south  of  France. 

The  influence  of  Russia  was  exercised  in  resisting 
the  progress  of  liberal  opinion  in  Germany,  but  was 
more  alarmingly  displayed  in  the  east  of  Europe. 
Mohammed  Ali,  the  pacha  of  Egypt,  threw  off  his 
allegiance  to  the  sultan,  and  sent  his  son  Ibrahim 
to  invade  Syria.  The  superior  discipline  of  the 
Egyptian  troops  rendered  their  victories  easy,  and 
Ibrahim  might  have  advanced  to  the  suburbs  of 
Constantinople,  and  perhaps  have  taken  that  city, 
had  not  the  sultan  sought  protection  from  the  Czar. 
A Russian  armament  delivered  the  Ottoman  empire 
from  the  impending  peril,  but  the  acceptance  of 
such  aid  rendered  the  sultan  a dependant  on  the 
court  of  St.  Petersburg. 

Such  was  the  state  of  Europe  when  the  British 
parliament  was  dissolved,  and  a new  election  held 
pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  the  Reform  Bill.  In 
England  and  Scotland  the  ministers  had  very  large 
majorities,  but  in  Ireland  a new  party  mustered  in 
considerable  force,  consisting  of  members  pledged 
to  support  the  repeal  of  the  union.  One  of  the 
earliest  measures  which  engaged  the  attention  of 
the  reformed  parliament,  was  a coercion  bill  for 
suppressing  the  Agrarian  disturbances  in  Ireland, 
and  checking  the  political  agitation  by  which  these 
tumults  were  in  some  measure  encouraged.  The 
bill  passed  the  lords  without  difficulty ; but  in  the 
lower  house  it  encountered  so  fierce  an  opposition, 
that  the  ministers  were  compelled  to  abandon  some 


234 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


of  the  most  obnoxious  clauses.  With  the  coercion 
bill  a measure  for  the  regulation  of  the  Irish  church 
was  very  closely  connected.  The  Irish  church 
stands  in  the  unpopular  predicament  of  possessing 
a wealthy  national  establishment,  while  the  great 
majority  of  the  people  belong  not  merely  to  a differ- 
ent, but  to  a hostile  faith ; impediments  have  con- 
sequently been  offered  to  the  collection  of  its  reve- 
nues, and  there  has  scarcely  been  any  popular 
disturbance  in  Ireland  during  the  greater  part  of 
a century,  which  has  not  been  more  or  less  remotely 
connected  with  the  tithe-question.  Under  these 
circumstances,  the  conservative  party  generally 
supported  the  claims  of  the  church  in  their  full  effi- 
ciency ; the  moderate  reformers  proposed,  that  after 
provision  had  been  made  for  all  necessary  ecclesias- 
tical uses,  the  surplus  should  be  applied  to  some 
object  of  public  utility,  such  as  national  education  ; 
and  a third  party,  stronger  in  zeal  than  numbers, 
regarded  the  property  of  the  church  as  a fund  that 
might  be  seized  for  the  purposes  of  the  state.  The 
ministers  steered  a middle  course  between  the  ex- 
treme parties,  and  of  course  gave  perfect  satisfac- 
tion to  neither ; they  abolished  ten  bishoprics,  but 
they  abandoned  the  clause  for  applying  the  snrplus 
to  purposes  not  purely  ecclesiastical,  in  order  to 
facilitate  the  passage  of  the  bill  through  the  house 
of  lords.  The  motion  was  rendered  more  agreeable 
to  the  Irish  clergy,  than  it  would  otherwise  have 
been,  by  the  grant  of  a million  sterling  as  a loan, 
in  lieu  of  the  arrears  of  tithes  which  they  were  una- 
ble to  collect. 

The  renewal  of  the  charter  of  the  bank  of  Eng- 
land, led  to  some  important  discussions  on  the 
financial  state  of  the  country ; but  much  more  im- 
portant was  the  change  made  in  the  constitution  of 
the  East  India  Company.  While  that  body  was  se- 
cured in  its  political  rights  over  the  vast  empire 
which  it  had  acquired  in  Hindostan,  it  was  deprived 
of  its  exclusive  privileges  of  commerce,  and  the  * 
trade  with  India  and  China  was  freely  opened  to  all 
the  subjects  of  the  British  crown.  Equally  great 
was  the  change  made  in  the  constitution  of  the 
British  West  India  colonies  by  the  total  abolition  of 


WILLIAM  IV. 


m 


negro  slavery ; the  service  of  the  negro  was  changed 
into  a compulsory  apprenticeship  for  a limited  time, 
and  a compensation  of  twenty  millions  sterling  was 
granted  to  the  proprietors  of  the  slaves. 

Notwithstanding  the  importance  and  value  of 
these  changes,  the  reformed  parliament  was  far 
from  satifying  the  expectations  which  had  been 
rather  too  sanguinely  formed  by  the  people. 

# In  the  United  States  some  discussions  arose,  in 
which  the  interests  of  England,  as  a commercial 
country,  were  materially  involved.  The  tariff  sanc- 
tioned by  congress,  imposing  heavy  duties  on  the 
import  of  manufactuaed  goods,  was  strenuously  op- 
posed by  the  southern  states,  especially  the  Caroli- 
nas,  and  an  appeal  to  arms  was  threatened. 

The  agitation  in  Ireland  for  the  repeal  of  the 
union  was  continued  during  the  recess ; and  soon 
after  the  meeting  of  parliament,  Mr.  O’Connell  in- 
troduced the  subject  into  the  house  of  commons. 
His  motion  was  rejected  by  a majority  of  five  hun- 
dred and  twenty  against  fifty-eight,  but  at  the  same 
time  parliament  pledged  itself  “ to  remove  all  just 
cause  of  complaint,  to  promote  all  well-considered 
measures  of  improvement.”  But  on  the  nature  of 
these  measures  the  cabinet  was  divided,  and  the 
majority  having  evinced  a disposition  to  appropriate 
the  surplus  ecclesiastical  revenues  to  secular  pur- 
poses of  general  utility,  the  Earl  of  Ripon,  the 
Duke  of  Richmond,  Mr.  Stanley,  and  Sir  James 
Graham,  resigned  their  offices.  Their  places  were 
soon  supplied,  but  the  changes  were  very  distasteful 
to  the  house  of  lords,  and  the  new  Irish  tithe-bill 
was  rejected  by  a decisive  majority. 

The  anomalous  position  of  the  government  gave 
general  dissatisfaction ; the  cabinet  was  assailed 
with  equal  violence  by  the  conservative  and  the  ex- 
treme section  of  the  reformers,  and  the  king  soon 
began  to  show  that  he  was  by  no  means  satisfied 
with  the  conduct  of  his  ministers,  especially  the 
lord  chancellor,  who,  during  a tour  in  Scotland,  had 
made  some  inconsistent  and  extraordinary  speeches 
at  various  public  meetings.  On  the  death  of  Earl 
Spencer,  Lord  Althorp  was  obliged  to  vacate  his 
office  of  chancellor  of  the  exchequer,  and  the  king 


233  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

took  this  opportunity  of  dismissing  the  Melbourne 
administration.  Sir  Robert  Peel  was  appointed 
premier,  but  as  he  was  absent  on  the  continent,  the 
Duke  of  Wellington  undertook  the  management  of 
public  affairs  till  his  return. 

After  Sir  Robert  Peel’s  return,  and  the  formation 
of  his  cabinet,  the  parliament  was  dissolved,  and  a 
new  election  brought  the  strength  of  parties  to  a 
fery  severe  test.  In  England  the  partizans  of  Sii^ 
Robert  Peel’s  administration  had  a small  majority  ; 
but  in  Ireland,  an  unfortunate  affray  at  Rathcor- 
mack,  arising  from  an  attempt  to  enforce  the  pay- 
ment of  tithes,  so  exasperated  the  Catholic  popula- 
tion, that  the  ministerial  candidates  were  almost 
everywhere  unsuccessful.  When  the  parliament 
assembled,  the  ministers  were  beaten  at  the  very 
outset  in  the  choice  of  a speaker ; Mr.  Abercromby, 
the  opposition  candidate,  having  been  preferred  to 
the  ministerial  candidate,  Sir  Charles  Sutton,  by  a 
majority  of  ten.  Several  other  motions  were  de- 
cided against  the  ministers,  but  none  that  involved 
a necessity  for  resignation,  until  Lord  John  Russell 
proposed  a resolution,  that  any  measure  introduced 
regarding  Irith  tithes  should  be  founded  on  the 
principle  of  appropriating  the  surplus  revenue  to 
purposes  of  general  utility.  The  motion  was  car- 
ried by  a majority  of  twenty-three  ; Sir  Robert  Peel 
and  his  colleagues  immediately  resigned,  and  the 
Melbourne  cabinet  was  restored,  with  the  remarka- 
ble exception  of  Lord  Brougham,  whose  place,  as 
chancellor,  was  supplied  by  Lord  Cottenham. 

A bill  for  reforming  the  corporations  of  England, 
founded  on  the  report  of  commissioners  appointed 
to  investigate  the  condition  of  these  bodies,  was 
immediately  introduced  by  the  Melbourne  adminis- 
tration, and  passed  without  difficulty  through  the 
house  of  commons.  Some  important  changes  were 
made  in  the  measure  during  its  progress  through 
the  house  of  lords  ; but  the  ministers  deemed  it 
better  to  accept  these  modifications  than  to  risk  the 
loss  of  the  bill. 

During  the  struggle  between  the  nicely-balanced 
parties  in  England,  the  aspect  of  continental  affairs 
was  favorable  to  the  continuance  of  peace.  An  at- 

‘ 


WILLIAM  IV. 


237 


tempt  was  made  on  the  life  of  the  king  of  the 
French,  and  various  plots  were  formed  by  enthusi- 
astic republicans  to  effect  a revolution ; but  the 
friends  of  order  rallied  round  the  throne,  and  the 
only  result  of  these  attacks  was  to  increase  the 
strength  of  the  government.  Spain  was  distracted 
by  the  horrors  of  a disputed  succession.  A little 
before  the  death  of  Ferdinand  VII.,  the  Salic  law, 
which  had  been  introduced  by  the  Bourbon  dynasty, 
was  set  aside  in  favor  of  that  monarch’s  infant 
daughter;  and  she  succeeded  to  the  throne  after 
her  father’s  decease  (1838). 

The  commencement  of  the  parliamentary  session 
in  1836,  showed  that  the  differences  between  the 
majority  of  the  lords  and  the  majority  of  the  com- 
mons were  far  from  being  reconciled.  They  were 
at  issue  principally  on  the  line  of  policy  that  ought 
to  be  pursued  towards  Ireland,  and  on  the  measures 
for  regulating  the  established  church  in  England 
and  Ireland.  It  was  proposed  that  the  Irish  corpo- 
rations should  be  reformed  according  to  the  plan 
which,  in  the  preceding  year,  had  been  adopted  for 
similar  bodies  in  England ; and  a bill  embodying 
this  principle  received  the  sanction  of  the  lower 
house : the  lords,  however,  insisted  that  the  state 
of  society  in  Ireland  was  such  that  municipal  insti- 
tutions were  not  adapted  to  that  country,  and  re- 
solved that  the  corporations  should  be  altogether 
abolished.  To  this  amendment  the  commons  re- 
fused to  agree,  and  the  bill  was  consequently  lost. 
A similar  fate  awaited  the  Irish  tithe-bill ; the  lords 
rejected  the  appropriation  clause,  and  the  commons 
would  not  accept  the  measure  without  it.  Laws, 
however,  were  passed  for  the  commutation  of  tithes 
in  England,  for  the  registration  of  births,  deaths, 
and  marriages,  and  for  regulating  episcopal  sees, 
the  opposing  parties  having  each  yielded  a little  to 
ensure  unanimity. 

In  Upper  Canada  the  refractory  house  of  assem- 
bly was  dissolved,  and  at  the  new  election  a major- 
ity of  members  favorable  to  the  British  government 
was  returned.  But  in  Lower  Canada  the  demands 
of  the  French  party  were  not  only  renewed  but  in- 
creased ; and  the  governor,  after  a vain  effort  to 


233 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


conciliate  the  house  of  assembly,  put  an  end  to  the 
session. 

The  parliamentary  session  of  1837  produced  few 
measures  of  importance ; on  Irish  measures  the 
houses  maintained  their  opposite  opinions,  and  of 
course  nothing  was  done  ; in  matters  of  ecclesiasti- 
cal policy  the  result  was  precisely  the  same ; the 
only  matter  in  which  there  was  any  appearance  of 
unanimity,  was  in  the  adoption  of  resolutions  for 
administering  the  government  of  Lower  Ganada  in 
opposition  to  the  refractory  house  of  assembly.  A 
gloom  was  thrown  over  these  and  other  discussions 
by  the  increasing  illness  of  the  king,  whose  disease 
at  an  early  period  prognosticated  its  fatal  termina- 
tion. His  majesty  died  on  the  morning  of  the  20th 
of  June,  sincerely  regretted  by  every  class  of  his 
subjects.  During  his  reign  of  nearly  seven  years, 
the  nation  enjoyed  tranquillity  both  at  home  and 
abroad ; it  was  the  only  reign  in  the  annals  of  Eng- 
land during  which  there  was  no  execution  for  trea- 
son and  no  foreign  war. 


VICTORIA, 


239 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  Reign  of  Victoria. 

Victoria,  the  only  daughter  of  Edward,  Duke  of 
Kent,  succeeded  her  late  uncle,  and  her  accession 
to  the  throne  was  hailed  with  more  than  ordinary 
enthusiasm..  All  parties  vied  with  each  other  in 
testifying  their  affectionate  allegianee  to  their 
youthful  sovereign,  called  at  the  early  age  of  eigh- 
teen to  rule  over  the  destinies  of  a mighty  empire. 
The  formal  busiqpss  of  parliament  was  completed 
with  all  possible  despatch,  and  at  the  close  of  the 
session  the  parliament  was  dissolved.  Although 
there  was  a keen  trial  of  strength  between  the  rival 
political  parties,  the  elections  were  unusually  tran- 
quil ; and  at  their  close  it  appeared  that  the  tri- 
umphs of  the  opposing  parties  were  very  nearly  bal- 
anced. Public  attention  was  next  directed  to  the 
preparations  made  for  entertaining  her  majesty  at  a 
civic  banquet  on  the  9th  of  November.  They  were 
on  a scale  of  unrivalled  magnificence,  and  her 
majesty’s  procession  to  the  Guild-hall  was  one  of 
the  most  pleasing  pageants  ever  displayed  in  Eng- 
land. No  change  was  made  in  the  cabinet  ; and 
when  parliament  assembled  towards  the  close  of  the 
year,  it  appeared  that  the  ministers  retained  their 
majority  in  the  house  of  commons,  and  that  the  op- 
position to  them  in  the  house  of  lords  had  become 
more  moderate.  The  state  of  Lower  Canada  was 
one  of  the  most  pressing  subjects  for  the  considera- 
tion of  the  legislature ; the  opponents  of  the  gov- 
ernment had  taken  up  arms,  and  raised  the  standard 
of  rebellion.  But  it  soon  appeared  that  their  meas- 
ures were  ill-concerted ; after  a brief  struggle,  most 
of  the  leaders  abandoned  their  followers  and  sought 
shelter  in  the  United  States.  Immediately  after 
the  reassembling  of  parliament  in  January,  1838, 
measures  were  introduced  for  the  temporary  govern- 
ment of  Canada,  its  constitution  having  been  sus- 
pended by  the  revolt ; and  the  Earl  of  Durham  was 
appointed  governor  of  all  the  British  colonies  in 
North  America,  with  power,  as  lord  commissioner, 


IIISTOHY  OF  ENGLAND. 


m 

to  arrange  the  differences  between  her  majesty’s 
government  and  her  discontented  subjects.  At 
present  everything  seems  to  promise  a long  and 
prosperous  reign.  The  desultory  war  in  Spain  does 
not  seem  likely  to  disturb  the  general  tranquility  of 
Europe,  and  the  increasing  facilities  of  national  in- 
tercourse, together  with  the  growing  diffusion  of 
intelligence,  have  led  the  rulers  and  the  people  on 
the  continent  to  set  a higher  value  on  the  blessings 
of  peace.  At  home,  the  rancour  of  party  violence 
has  sensibly  abated ; the  internal  improvements  of 
the  country,  especially  its  rail-roads,  are  making 
rapid  progress  ; manufactories  are  springing  up, 
which  would  astonish  our  ancestors,  could  they 
return  to  the  places  which  were  once  their  homes  ; 
and  our  ships,*  in  constantly  increasing  numbers, 
visit  every  region,  spreading  civilization  wherever 
they  go,  and  making  us  more  and  more  acquainted 
mth  the  features  and  products  of  our  planet. 


THE  END. 


I  241  ] 

APPENDIX. 


SUCCESSION  OF  SOVEREIGNS. 


THE  SAXON  HEPTARCHY. 


I he  kingdom  of  Kent  contained  only  the  county  of  Kent ; its 


1 Hengist,  began 

kings 
. 454 

2 Esko 

3 Octa 

512 

4 Ymbrick  . . . . 

. 534 

5 Ethelbert  . . . 

. 568 

6 Ed  bald  .... 

7 Ercombert  ... 

. 640 

8 Egbert  .... 

9 Lothaire  .... 

were, 


10  Edrick  . . . 

084 

11  Withdred  . . 

m # 

685 

lo  C Eadbert.  and  ", 
1Z  1 Edelbert  < 

^ • 

725 

13  Ethelbert  alone 

743 

14  Aldric  . . . 

760 

15  Ethelbert  Pren 

794 

16  Cudred  . . - 

# t 

799 

17  Ba.dred  . • . 

805 

This  kingdom  began  454,  ended  823.  Its  first  Christian  king 
was  Eihelbert. 


The  kingdom  of  South  Saxons  contained  the  counties  of  Sus- 
sex and  Surrey  ; its  kings  were, 

1 Ella,  began  ....  491 

2 Cissa 514 

3 Chevelin 590 

4 Ceolwic 592 

5 Ceoluph 597 

This  kingdom  began  491,  ended  685.  Its  first  Christian  king 
was  Adelwach. 


The  kingdom  of  East  Saxons  contained  the  counties  of  Essex 
and  Middlesex  j its  kings  were, 


1 Erchcnwin,  began 

. 527 

5 Sigeber'.  the  Little 

623 

2 Sledda  .... 

3 Sebert  .... 

f Sexred  > 

6 Sigebert  the  Good  . 

7 Swithelme  . . . 

. 653 
. 655 

4 < Seward  > . . 

. 616 

8 Sighere  and  Sebbi  . 

. 665 

LSigebert  J 

VOL.  II. 

16 

9 Sebbi  . . . 

. 683 

V ^llllgSU  / 

Z Gluicelm  5 

7 Canowalch  . 

8 Adelwach  . 


611 

643 

648 


242 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


in  C Sigherd  and  7 RQA  I 12  Ccolfred  . . . . 

iU  I Seofrid  £ . by4  13  Suithred  - - - - 

11  OfTa 700  I 14  Sigered 

This  kingdom  began  527,  ended  827.  Its  first  Christian 
was  Sebert. 


700 

746 

709 

king 


The  kingdom  of  Northumberland  contained  Yorkshire,  Dur- 
ham, Lancashire,  Westmoreland,  Cumberland,  and  Nor- 
thumberland j its  kings  were, 


1 Ella,  or  Ida, 

began 

m 

547 

17 

Cenred  . .' 

2 Adda  . . 

# 

559 

18 

Osrick  . . 

3 Ciappea 

566 

19 

Ceolulphe  . 

. . 

. 730 

4 Theodwald 

572 

20 

Egbert  . . 

5 Fridulph 

• 

573 

21 

Oswulph  . 

. 

. 758 

6 Theodorick 

579 

22 

Edilwald  . 

. . 

. 759 

7 Athelrick  . 

586 

23 

Alured  . . 

8 Athelfrid  . 

• 

# 

593 

24 

Atheldred  . 

, , 

. 774 

9 Edwin  . . 

• 

# 

617 

25 

Alswald  I.  . 

• # 

. 779 

10  Osric  . . 

• 

633 

26 

Osred  II.  . 

, , 

. 789 

11  Oswald  . . 

• 

0 

634 

27 

Ethel  red  restored 

. 790 

12  Oswy  . . 

• 

# 

643 

28 

Osbald  . . 

. 796 

13  Ethel  ward  . 

• 

653 

29 

Ardulph 

, # 

. 797 

14  Egfrid  . . 

670 

30 

Alswald  11. 

# # 

. 807 

15  Alkfryd  . . 

685 

31 

Andred  . . 

13  Osred  1. 

. 

. 

705 

This  kingdom  began  547,  ended  827. 

was  Edwin. 


Its  first  Christian  king 


The  kingdom  of  Mercia  contained  the  counties  of  Huntingdon, 
Rutland,  Lincoln,  Northampton,  Leicester,  Derby,  Notting- 


ham,  Oxford, 

Chester,  Salop,  Gloucester,  Worcester, 

Staf- 

ford,  Warwick 

Buckingham,  Bedford,  and  Hertford. 

lts 

kings  were, 

1 Creda,  began 

. - - 585 

10  Ethelbald  - - - - 

716 

2 Wibba 

. . - 595 

11  OfTa  ------ 

757 

3 Cheor’as  - - 

- - - 616 

12  Egfryd  - - - - - 

704 

4 Penda  - - - 

- - - 625 

13  Cenolf  - - - - - 

705 

5 Peada  - - - 

- - - 656 

14  Kenelme  - - - - 

89 

6 Wolfhere 

- - - 659 

15  Ceolwolf  - - - 

819 

7 Ethel  red 

- - - 675 

16  Burnulf  - - - - 

821 

8 Retired  - - 

- - - 704 

17  Ludecan  - - 

823 

9 Ceolred  - - 

- - - 709 

18  Wiglafe  - - - . 

825 

This  kingdom  began  582,  ended  827.  Its  first  Christian  king 
was  Peada. 


The  kingdom  of  East  Angles  contained  the  counties  of  Suf- 
folk, Norfolk,  Cambridge,  and  th«  isle  of  Ely  5 its  kings 
were, 

l Uffa,  began  - - - 575  I 3 Redwald  - - - - 509 

9 Titillus  - - - 578  j 4 Erpenvvald  - - - 624 


APPENDIX.  243 


5 Sigcbert  - 

- - - - 63G 

« iftL] 

» ---  644 

7 Ethel here 

' - - - - 654 

8 Ethwaid 

- - - - 659 

9 Adwulf  - 

- ...  664 

10 

Alswald  - - - 

- • 683 

11 

( Beorna  and  7 

- - 749 

| Ethelbert  £ 

12 

Beorna  alone  - 

- - 758 

13  Ethelred  - - - 

- - 761 

14 

Ethelbert  - - 

- - 790 

l'his  kingdom  began  575,  ended  792.  Its  first  Christian  king 
was  Bedwald. 


The  kingdom  of  West  Saxons  contained  the  counties  of  orn- 
wall,  Devon,  Dorset,  Somerset,  Wilts,  Hants,  and  Berks : 
its  kings  were, 


1 Cherdic,  began 

- - 519 

2 Kenrick  ... 

- - 534 

3 Chevline  - - - 

4 Ceolric  - - - - 

5 Ceoluph  - - - 

5 Kingills  7 

6 lUuinthelin  3 

- 611 

7 Ceonowalch  - - 

- - 643 

8 Adebvalch  - - 

- - 648 

9 fcexburga  - - 

- - 672 

• 0 C Censua,  Escwin, 

7 and  Cent  win  3 

674 

11  Ceadwald  - - - - 

686 

12  lna  

688 

13  Adelard  ----- 

726 

14  Cud  l ed  ----- 

740 

id  C Sigebert  and  7 

15  i Cenulf  5 ‘ 

754 

16  Brithrick  - - - - 

784 

17  Egbert 

800 

This  kingdom  began  519,  ended  828.  Its  first  Christian 
king  was  Kingills. 


The  Saxons,  though  they  were  divided  into  seven 
kingdoms,  were,  for  the  most  part,  subject  only  to  one 
monarch,  who  was  styled  king  of  the  English  nation  ; 
the  most  powerful  giving  the  law  unto  the  others,  and 
succeeded  as  follows : 

HENGIST,  first  monarch  of  Britain,  landed  in  the 
Isle  of  Thanet,  449 ; laid  the  foundation  of  the 
monarchy  in  455;  defeated  Vortimer  at  Crayford,  in 
Jan.  457  ; massacred  300  British  nobles  on  Salisbury 
plain,  May  1,  474.  He  bore  in  his  standard  the 
white  horse,  blazoned  in  the  same  manner,  as  now 
borne  by  the  dukes  of  Brunswick.  He  was  born  at 
Angria,  in  Westphalia,  reigned  34  years,  died  in  484. 
ELLA,  second  monarch,  landed  at  Shoreham,  in  Sus- 
sex, in  477 ; assumed  the  title  of  king  of  the  South 
Saxons,  in  491 ; died  in  499. 

CHERDIC,  third  monarch,  arrived  in  Britain,  and 
overcame  Arthur,  near  Chard,  in  Somersetshire, 
519 ; began  the  kingdom  of  the  West  Saxons  the 
same  year ; died  in  534. 

KENR1CK,  second  king  of  the  West  Saxons,  fourth 


244 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


monarcn,  eldest  son  of  Cherdic,  succeeded  in  534 
and  died  in  560. 

CHEVELINE,  third  king  of  the  West  Saxons,  and 
fifth  monarch,  succeeded  his  father,  560;  seized 
on  Sussex  in  590;  abdicated  in  591  ; and  died,  in 
banishment,  in  592. 

ETHELBERT  I.,  fifth  king  of  Kent,  and  sixth  mon- 
arch, in  592;  St.  Augustine  first  arrived  in  his  do- 
minions, who,  with  his  followers,  were  entertained 
by  the  king  at  Canterbury,  where  they  settled;  to 
whose  doctrine  Ethelbert  became  a convert.  He 
gave  Augustine  an  idol  temple,  without  the  walls 
of  the  city,  as  a burial  place  for  him  and  his  succes- 
sors, which  was  converted  into  the  first  monastery. 
The  king  was  the  first  that  caused  the  laws  of  the 
land  to  be  collected  and  translated  into  Saxon.  He 
died  Feb.  24,  617,  and  was  buried  at  Canterbury. 

REDWALD,  third  king  of  the  East  Angles,  seventh 
monarch,  616;  he  died  624. 

EDWIN  the  Great,  king  of  Northumberland,  succeed- 
ed as  eighth  monarch  in  624.  He  was  the  first 
Christian,  and  the  second  king  of  Northumberland. 
He  lost  his  life  in  a battle  at  Hatfield,  Oct.  3,  633. 

OSWALD,  third  king  of  Northumberland,  and  ninth 
monarch,  in  634.  He  was  slain  at  Maserfield,  in 
Shropshire,  Aug.  1,  642. 

OSWY,  fourth  king  of  Northumberland,  tenth  mon- 
arch, on  Oct.  13,  634.  He  defeated  Penda,  the 
Mercian,  and  Ethelred,  king  of  the  East  Angles, 
Nov.  6,  655.  He  died  Feb.  15,  670. 

WOLFHERE,  sixth  king  of  the  Mercians,  eleventh 
monarch,  in  670;  died  674,  and  was  buried  at  Peter- 
borough. 

ETHELRED,  seventh  king  of  Mercia,  and  twelfth 
monarch,  in  675.  He  desolated  part  of  Kent,  and,  in 
677,  destroyed  Rochester,  and  many  religious  foun- 
dations ; to  atone  for  which  he  became  a monk, 
703,  andd^ed  abbot  of  Bradney,  in  716. 

CENRED,  c*»ohew,  eighth  king  of  Mercia,  and 
thirteenth  monaich,  in  704,  reigned  four  years,  and 
following  his  uncle’s  example,  became  a monk. 

CEOLRED,  son  to  Ethelred,  ninth  king  of  the  Mer- 
cians, and  fourteenth  monarch,  in  709,  was  killed  in 
battle  with  the  West  Saxons  in  716  ; and  was  buried 
at  Litchfield. 


APPENDIX. 


245 


LTHELBALD  I.,  tenth  king  of  the  Mercians,  fif 
teenth  monarch,  in  716  3 built  Croyland  abbey,  in 
Lincolnshire.  He  was  slain  by  his  own  subjects, 
when  he  was  leading  his  troops  against  Cuthred, 
the  West  Saxon,  at  Secondine,  three  miles  from 
Tamworth,  »n  Warwickshire,  and  was  buried  at 
Repton,  in  Derbyshire,  in  756. 

OFFA,  the  eleventh  king  cf  the  Mercians,  and  the 
sixteenth  monarch,  757.  He  was  born  lame,  deaf, 
and  blind,  which  continued  till  he  arrived  at  man 
hood.  He  took  up  arms  against  Kent,  slew  their 
king  at  Otteford,  and  conquered  that  kingdom.  He 
caused  a great  trench  to  be  dug  from  Bristol  to 
Basingwerk,  in  Flintshire,  as  the  boundary  of  the 
Britons,  who  harboured  in  Wales,  774.  Offa  first 
ordained  the  sounding  of  trumpets  before  the  kings 
of  England,  to  denote  their  appearance,  and  require 
respect.  He  admitted  his  son,  Egfryd,  a partner 
in  his  sovereignty  3 and,  out  of  devotion,  paid  a visit' 
to  Rome,  where  he  made  his  kingdom  subject  to  a 
tribute,  then  called  Peter-pence,  and  procured  the 
canonization  of  St.  Alban.  At  his  return  he  built 
St.  Alban’s  monastery,  in  Hertfordshire,  793.  He 
died  at  Offley,  June  29,  794,  and  was  buried  at  Bed- 
ford, in  a chapel  since  swallowed  up  by  the  river 
Ouse. 

EGFRYD,  twelfth  king  of  the  Mercians,  and  seven- 
teenth monarch,  July  13,  794  3 but  died  Dec.  17  fol- 
lowing, and  was  buried  at  St.  Alban’s. 

CENOLE,  thirteenth  king  of  the  Mercians,  and  eight- 
eenth monarch,  in  795.  He  conquered  Kent,  and 
gave  that  kingdom  to  Cudred,  798.  He  built  Winch- 
comb  monastery,  in  Gloucestershire,  where  he  led 
the  captive  Prince,  Pren,  to  the  altar,  and  released 
him  without  ransom  or  entreaty.  He  died  in  819, 
and  was  buried  at  Winchcomb. 

EGBERT,  seventeenth  king  of  the  West  Saxons,  and 
nineteenth,  but  first  sole  monarch,  of  the  English. 
He  conquered  Kent,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  the 
sole  monarchy  in  823,  which  put  an  end  to  the  Sax- 
on Heptarchy,  and  was  solemnly  crowned  at  Win- 
chester 3 when,  by  his  edict,  he  ordered  all  the 
South  of  the  island  to  be  called  England,  827.  He 
died  Feb.  4,  837,  and  was  buried  at  Winchester. 


246 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


ETHELWOLF,  eldest  son  of  Egbert,  succeeded  li is 
father,  notwithstanding,  at  the  time  of  Egbert  s 
death,  he  was  bishop  of  Winchester.  In  846  he  or- 
dained tithes  to  be  collected,  and  exempted  the 
clergy  from  regal  tributes.  He  visited  Rome  in 
847,  confirming  the  grant  of  Peter-pence,  and  agreed 
to  pay  Rome  300  marks  per  annum.  His  son  Ethel- 
bald  obliged  him  to  divide  the  sovereignty  with 
him,  856.  He  died  Jan.  13,  857,  and  was  buried  at 
Winchester. 

ETHELBALD  II.,  eldest  son  of  Ethelwolf,  succeed- 
ed in  857.  He  died  Dec.  20,  860,  and  was  buried  at 
Sherborn,  but  removed  to  Salisbury. 

ETHELBERT  II.,  second  son  of  Ethelwolf,  succeed 
ed  in  860,  and  was  harassed  greatly  by  the  Danes, 
who  were  repulsed  and  vanquished.  He  died  in 
866,  was  buried  at  Sherborn,  and  was  succeeded 
by 

ETHELRED  I.,  third  son  of  Ethelwolf,  in  866,  when 
the  Danes  again  harassed  his  kingdom.  In  870,  they 
destroyed  the  monasteries  of  Bradney,  Crowland, 
Peterborough,  Ely,  and  Huntingdon,  when  the  nuns 
of  Coldingharn  defaced  themselves  to  avoid  their 
pollution  5 and,  in  East  Anglia,  they  murdered  Ed- 
mund, at  Edmundsbury  in  Suffolk.  Ethelred  over- 
threw the  Danes,  871,  at  Assendon.  He  had  nine 
set  battles  with  the  Danes  in  one  year,  and  was 
wounded  at  Wittingham,  which  occasioned  his 
death,  April  27,  872,  and  was  buried  at  Winborne  in 
Dorsetshire. 

ALFRED,  the  fourth  son  of  Ethelwolf,  succeeded  in 
872,  in  the  22d  year  of  his  age  ; was  crowned  at 
Winchester,  and  is  distinguished  by  the  title  of  Al- 
fred the  Great.  He  was  born  at  Wantage,  in  Berk- 
shire, 849,  and  obliged  to  take  the  field  against  the 
Danes  within  one  month  after  his  coronation,  at 
Wilton,  in  Oxfordshire.  He  fought  seven  battles 
with  them  in  876.  In  877  another  succour  of 
Danes  arrived,  and  Alfred  was  obliged  to  disguise 
himself  in  the  habit  of  a shepherd,  in  the  isle  of  A1 
derney,.in  the  county  of  Somerset,  till,  in  878,  co. 
lecting  his  scattered  friends,  he  attacked  and  de 
feated  them  in  879,  when  he  obliged  the  greatest 
part  of  their  army  to  quit  the  land  j in  897  they  went 


APPENDIX. 


24? 


tip  the  river  Lea,  and  built  a fortress  at  Ware, 
where  king  Alfred  turned  off  the  course  of  the  river, 
and  left  their  ships  dry,  which  obliged  the  Danes  to 
remove.  He  died  Oct.  28,  901. 

EDWARD  the  Elder,  his  son,  succeeded  him,  and 
was  crowned  at  Kingston-upon-Thames,  in  901.  In 
911,  Leolin,  prince  of  Wales,  did  homage  to  Ed- 
ward for  his  principality.  He  died  at  Farringdon, 
in  Berkshire,  in  924,  and  was  buried  at  Winches- 
ter. 

ATHELSTAN,  his  eldest  son,  succeeded  him,  and 
was  crowned  with  far  greater  magnificence  than 
usual,  at  Kingston-upon-Thames,  in  929.  In  937  he 
defeated  two  Welsh  princes,  but  soon  after,  on  their 
making  submission,  he  restored  them  their  estates. 
He  escaped  being  assassinated  in  his  tent,  938, 
which  he  revenged  by  attacking  his  enemy,  when 
five  petty  sovereigns,  twelve  dukes,  and  an  army 
who  came  to  the  assistance  of  Analf,  king  of  Ireland, 
were  slain  ; which  battle  was  fought  near  Dunbar, 
in  Scotland.  He  made  the  princes  of  Wales  tribu- 
tary, 939;  and  died  Oct.  17,  940,  at  Gloucester. 

EDMUND  I.,  the  fifth  son  of  Edward  the  Elder,  suc- 
ceeded at  the  age  of  18,  and  was  crowned  king  at 
Kingston-upon-Thames,  940.  On  May  26,  947,  in 
endeavouring  to  part  two  who  were  quarrelling,  he 
received  a wound,  of  which  he  bled  to  death  and 
was  buried  at  Glastonbury. 

EDRED,  his  brother,  aged  28,  succeeded  in  947,  and 
was  crowned  at  Kingston-upon-Thames,  the  17th  of 
August.  He  died  in  955,  and  was  buried  at  Win- 
chester. 

EDWY,  the  eldest  son  of  Edmund,  succeeded,  and 
was  crowned  at  Kingston-upon-Thames,  in  955. 
He  had  great  dissensions  with  the  clergy,  and  ban- 
ished Dunstan,  their  ringleader,  which  occasions 
little  credit  to  be  given  to  the  character  the  priests 
give  him.  He  died  of  grief  in  959,  after  a turbulent 
reign  of  four  years,  and  was  buried  at  Winchester. 

EDGAR,  at  the  age  of  16,  succeeded  his  brother,  and 
was  crowned  at  Kingston-upon-Thames,  in  959,  and 
again  at  Bath,  972.  He  imposed  upon  the  princes 
of  Wales  a tribute  of  wolves’  heads,  that  for  three 
years  amounted  to  300  each  year.  He  obliged  eight 


248 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


tributary  princes  to  row  him  in  a barge  on  the  river 
Dee,  in  974.  He  died  July  I,  975,  and  was  buried 
at  Glastonbury. 

EDWARD  the  Martyr,  his  eldest  son,  succeeded  him, 
being  but  16  years  of  age  ; was  crowned  by  Dun- 
stan  at  Kingston-upon-Thames,  in  975.  He  was 
stabbed  by  the  instructions  of  his  mother-in-law,  a9 
he  was  drinking  at  Corfe-castle,  in  the  isle  of  Pur- 
beck,  in  Dorsetshire,  on  March  18,  979.  He  was 
first  buried  at  VVareham,  without  any  ceremony,  but 
removed  three  years  after,  in  great  pomp  to  Shaftes- 
bury. 

ETHELRED  II.  succeeded  his  half-brother,  and  was 
crowned  at  Kingston-upon-Thames,  on  April  14, 
979.  In  982,  his  palace,  with  great  part  of  London, 
was  destroyed  by  a great  fire.  England  was  ravag- 
ed by  the  Danes,  who,  in  999,  received  at  one  pay- 
ment about  16,000/.  raised  by  a land-tax  called 
Danegelt.  A general  massacre  of  the  Danes,  on  Nov. 
13,  1002.  Swein  revenged  his  countrymen’s  deaths, 
1003,  and  did  not  quit  the  kingdom  till  Ethelred 
had  paid  him  36,000 /.  which  he  the  year  following 
demanded  as  an  annual  tribute.  In  the  spring  of 
1008  they  subdued  great  part  of  the  kingdom.  To 
stop  their  progress,  it  was  agreed  to  pay  the  Danes 
48,000/.  to  quit  the  kingdom,  1012.  In  the  space  of 
twenty  years  they  had  469,687/.  sterling.  Soon  af- 
ter Swein  entered  the  Humber  again,  when  Ethel- 
red  retired  to  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  sent  his  sons, 
with  their  mother  Emma,  into  Normandy,  to  her 
brother,  and  Swein  took  possession  of  the  whole 
kingdom,  1013. 

SWEIN  was  proclaimed  king  of  England  in  1013,  and 
no  person  disputed  his  title.  His  first  act  of  sove- 
reignty was  an  insupportable  tax,  which  he  did  not 
live  to  see  collected.  He  died  Feb.  3,  1014,  at 
Thetford.  in  Norfolk. 

CANUTE,  his  son,  was  proclaimed  March,  1014,  and 
endeavoured  to  gain  the  affection  of  his  English 
subjects,  but  without  success,  retired  to  Denmark, 
and 

ETHELRED  returned,  at  the  invitation  of  his  sub 
jects.  Canute  returned,  1015,  soon  afier  he  left 
England,  and  landed  at  Sandwich.  Ethelred  retired 


APPENDIX. 


249 


to  the  north,  but  by  evading  a battle  with  the  Danes, 
he  lost  the  affections  of  his  subjects,  and  retiring  to 
London,  he  expired  April  23,  1016. 

EDMOND  IRONSIDE,  his  son,  was  crowned  at 
Kingston-upon-Thames,  April,  1016  j but  by  a dis- 
agreement among  the  nobility,  Canute  was  likewise 
crowned  at  Southampton.  In  June  following,  Ca- 
nute totally  routed  Edmund,  at  Assendon,  in  Essex, 
who  soon  after  met  Canute  in  the  isle  of  Alderney, 
in  the  Severn,  where  a peace  was  concluded,  and 
the  kingdom  divided  between  them.  Edmund  did 
not  survive  above  a month  after,  being  murdered 
at  Oxford,  Nov.  30,  1106,  before  he  had  reigned  a 
year.  He  left  two  sons  and  two  daughters;  from 
one  of  which  daughters  James  I.  of  England  de- 
scended, and  from  him  George  IV. 

CANUTE  was  established  1017;  made  an  alliance 
with  Normandy,  and  married  Emma,  Ethelred’s  wid- 
ow, 1018;  made  a voyage  to  Denmark,  attacked 
Norway,  and  took  possession  of  the  crown,  1028; 
died  at  Shaftesbury,  1036,  and  was  buried  at  Win- 
chester. 

HAROLD  I.  his  son,  began  his  reign,  1036  ; died, 
Aprii  14,  1039;  and  was  succeeded  by  his  younger 
brother. 

HARDICANUTE,  king  of  Denmark,  who  died  at 
Lambeth,  1041 ; was  buried  at  New  Winchester, 
and  succeeded  by  a son  of  queen  Emma,  by  her  first 
husband,  Ethelred  II. 

EDWARD  the  Confessor,  was  born  at  Islip,  in  Oxford- 
shire, began  his  reign  in  the  40th  year  of  his  age. 
He  was  crowned  at  Winchester,  1042;  married  Edi- 
tha,  daughter  of  Godwin,  earl  of  Kent  1043  ; remitted 
the  tax  of  Danegelt,  and  was  the  first  king  of  England 
that  touched  for  the  king’s  evil,  1058;  died  Jan.  5, 
1066,  aged  65;  was  buried  in  Westminster-abbey, 
which  he  rebuilt,  where  his  bones  were  enshrined 
in  gold  set  with  jewels,  1206.  Emma,  his  mother, 
died  1052.  He  was  succeeded  by 

HAROLD  II.  son  of  the  earl  of  Kent,  who  began  in 
1066;  defeated  by  his  brother  Tosti  and  the  king  of 
Norway,  who  had  invaded  his  dominions  at  Stam- 
ford, Sept.  25,  1066  ; but  was  killed  by  the  Nortnaua 
at  Hastings,  Oct.  14  following. 


— = ==—=—==7 

I 

250  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

SOVEREIGNS  FROM  THE  CONQUEST. 


Kings * i Began  their 

Names.  ! Reign. 

Reign'd] 

yJi.dI 

Deaths. 

Where 

buried. 

VV.  Conn. 
W.  Rufus 
Henry  . . 1 
Stephen 

No 

1066  Oct.  14| 
1087  Sept.  9 
1100  Aug.  2 
1135  Dec.  1 

rman  Ft 
20  10  26 
12  10  24 
35  3 29 
18  10  24, 

im 

60 

43 

67 

49 

ily. 

Burst  leap. 
Slain  acci- 
dentally. 

Caen. 

Winchester 

Reading. 

Feversham 

Henry  . . 2 
Richard  . 1 
John 

Henry  . . 3 
Edward  . 1 
Edward  . 2 
Edward  . 3 
Richard  . 2 

The  Sa 
1154  Oct.  25 
1189  July  6 
1199  April  6 
1216  Oct.  19 
1272  Nov.  16 
1307  July  7 
1327  Jan.  25 
1377  June  21 

xon  Lin 
34  8 111 
9 9 01 
17  6 13| 
56  0 28 
34  7 21 
19  6 18 
50  4 27 
22  3 8 

e r 
55 
43 

1“ 

65 

67 

43 

65 

33 

estored. 

Slain  with 
an  arrow. 

Deposed  Sf 
murdered. 
Dep.&  mur. 

Fontevrault. 

Fontevrault. 

Worcester. 

Westminstei 

West  minster 

Gloucester. 

Westminster 

Westminster 

Henry  . . 4 
Henry  . . 5 
Henry  . . 6 

The  Fa 
1399  Sept.  29 
1413  Mar.  20 
1422  Aug.  31 

mily  of  Lancaster. 

13  5 20i46, 

9 5 11  331 

38  6 4]49|Dep.^mur. 

Canterbury. 

Westminsto. 

Windsor. 

Edward  . 4 
Edward  . 5 
Richard  . 3 

The  Family  i 
1461  March  4|22  1 5 
1483  April  9 0 2 13i 
1483  June  22|  2 2 0| 

>/ 

41 

12 

1 42 

York. 

Smothered. 
In  Battle. 

(Windsor. 

(Tower. 

(Leicester. 

Henry  . . 7 
Henry  . . 8 
Edward  . 6 
Q.  Mary 
—Elizabeth 

The  i 
1485  Aug.  22 
1509  April  22 
1547  Jan.  28 
1553  July  6 
1558  Nov.  17 

Families 
23  8 0 
37  9 6 
6 5 8 
5 4 11 
44  4 7 

V 

52 

55 

l5 

42 

69 

nited. 

Westminster 

Windsor. 

Westminster 

Westminster 

Westminster 

James  . . 1 
Charles  . 1 
Charles  . 2 
James  . . 2 
Wm.&Ma. 
Q,.  Anne 

He 

1603  Mar.  24 
1625  Mar.  27 
1649  Jan.  30 
1685  Feb.  6 
1689  Feb.  13 
1702  Mar.  8 

iuse  of  £ 

22  9 3 

23  10  3 
36  0 7 

4 0 7 
13  0 23 
12  4 24 

Itui 

58 

48 

54 

67 

|?9 

irt. 

Beheaded. 

Abdicated. 

Westminster 

Windsor. 

Westminster 

Paris. 

Westminster 

Westminstei 

George  . 1 
George  . 2 
George  . 3 
George  . 4 

Hoi 

>1714  Aug.  1 
1727  June  11 
1760  Oct.  25 
1820  Jan.  31 

ise  of  One 
i2  10  l0l67 
33  4 14  77 
59  3 5! 82 
Crowned  Ji 

Iph. 

ily  19,  1821 

Hanover. 

/Festminster 

IFindsor. 

APPENDIX. 

II. 


251 


EMINENT  AND  REMARKABLE  PERSONS  WHO 
HAVE  FLOURISHED  IN  BRITAIN. 

Abercromby,  sir  Ralph,  killed  in  Egypt,  1801 
Addison,  Joseph,  born  1672,  died  June  17,  1719. 
Akenside,  Dr.  Mark,  born  1721,  died  June  23,  1770 
Aiban,  St.  the  first  English  martyr,  died  303. 

Anson,  admiral,  died  17G2,  aged  62. 

Arkwright,  sir  Richard,  inventor  of  the  spinning  jen- 
nies, died  Aug.  3,  1792. 

Arne,  Michael,  the  musician,  died  1785. 

Bacon,  Roger,  born  1214,  died  1294. 

Francis,  lord  Verulam,  sent  to  the  tower,  1622  ; 

died,  April  9,  1626,  aged  57. 

Becket,  Thomas,  chancellor  to  Henry  II.  1157 ; made 
archbishop  of  Canterbury,  1162;  murdered  in  the 
cathedral  church  at  Canterbury,  Dec.  29,  1170. 
Berkeley,  bishop  of  Cloyne,  died  1753,  aged  73. 
Bernard,  sir  John,  died  1764,  aged  80. 

Blackstone,  Judge,  born  1723,  died  Feb.  14.  1780. 
Blair,  Dr.  Hugh,  died  Dec.  27,  1800,  aged  83. 

Blake,  admiral,  born  1589,  died  1657. 

Bolingbroke,  lord,  died  1751,  aged  73. 

Boulton,  Matthew,  the  machinist,  born  1728,  died 
Sept.  1809. 

Boyle,  Robert,  the  philosopher,  died  1691,  aged  65. 
Bruce,  Robert,  Scottish  general  and  king,  died  1329. 
Buckingham,  duke  of,  killed  at  Portsmouth  by  Felton, 
Aug.  23,  1628,  aged  35. 

Banyan,  John,  born  1628,  died  1688. 

Burke,  Edmund,  died  July  8,  1797,  aged  68. 

Burleigh,  lord  Exeter,  1560,  died  1598. 

Burnet,  bishop  of  Sarum,  born  1643,  died  1715. 

Butler,  Samuel,  author  of  Hudibras,  born  1612,  died 
1680. 

Camden,  the  historian,  died  Nov.  2,  1623,  aged  72. 
Caxton,  William,  the  first  printer  in  England,  1474, 
died  1491,  aged  70. 

Chaucer,  Geoffry,  born  1328,  died  1409. 

Chicheley,  Henry,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  died 
1443. 

Churchill,  Rev.  Charles,  born  1731,  died  1764. 


/ 

252  HISTORY  OP  ENGLAND. 

Clarendon,  Hyde,  earl  of,  bom  1612 5 banished  Dec 
12.  1667;  died  Dec.  7,  1674. 

Clarke,  Rev.  Dr.  Samuel,  born  1675,  died  May  17 
1729. 

Coke,  lord  chief  iustice,  born  1549,  died  1634. 
Congreve,  William,  born  1672,  died  1729*. 

Cook,  captain  James,  the  navigator,  born  Oct.  27 
1728;  killed  Feb.  14,  1779. 

Cornwallis,  marquis  K.  G.  born  1738,  died  in  India 
1805. 

Cowley,  Abraham,  born  1618,  died  1667. 

Cowper,  William,  poet,  died  1800. 

Cranmer,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  born  1489. 

burnt  at  Oxford,  March  21,  1556. 

Cromwell,  lord,  beheaded  July  28,  1540. 

Defoe,  Daniel,  political  writer,  died  1731. 

Drake,  sir  Francis,  born  1545;  set  sail  on  his  voy- 
■ age  round  the  world,  1577 ; died  Jan  28,  1595. 

Dryden,  John,  born  August  9,  1613,  died  May  1,  1700. 
Evelyn,  John,  natural  philosopher,  born  1629,  died 
1706. 

Fairfax,  sir  Thomas,  born  1644,  died  1671. 

Fielding,  Henry,  English  writer,  born  1707,  died  1754, 
aged  47. 

Flamstead,  John,  astronomer,  born  1646,  died  1719 
Foote,  Samuel,  died  Oct.  21,  1777,  aged  56. 
f Fox,  George,  founder  of  the  Quakers,  died  1681. 

. Garrick,  David,  born  at  Hereford,  1716,  died  Jan.  20 

\ 1779. 

Gay,  John,  English  poet,  died  1732. 

Gibbs,  James,  architect,  died  1754. 

Glover,  Richard,  English  writer,  born  1712,  died  1785 
Goldsmith,  Oliver,  born  1731,  died  April  4,  1774. 
Gray,  Thomas,  the  poet,  born  1716,  died  July  30 
1771. 

Gresham,  sir  Thomas,  died  1580. 
i Hale,  sir  Matthew,  born  1609,  died  Dec.  25,  1676. 

Hampden,  John,  born  1594,  killed  in  battle  June  24 
1643. 

Holinshed,  the  historian,  died  1580. 

Home,  John,  born  1724,  died  Sept.  4,  1808. 

Hotspur,  Henry  Percy,  killed  July  22,  1403. 

Howard,  Mr.  the  philanthropist,  born  about  1725,  died 
Jan.  20.,  1790. 


fF- 


APPENDIX.  253 

Howe,  lord  viscount,  slain  in  America,  July  8,  1752, 
aged  34. 

Hume,  David,  philosopher  and  historian,  born  1711, 
died  Aug.  25,  1776. 

Hogarth,  William,  died  1765,  aged  64. 

Johnson,  Dr.  Samuel,  born  Sept.  18,  1709,  died  Dec. 
14,  1784,  aged  78. 

Jones,  Inigo,  the  celebrated  architect,  born  1572,  died 
1651. 

- — , sir  William,  died  in  Bengal,  April  27,  1797,  aged 
47.  v 

Knox,  John,  the  reformer,  born  1505,  died  1572. 

Latimer,  bishop  of  Worcester,  burnt  at  Oxford,  Oct. 
1555. 

Leland,  John,  the  antiquarian,  died  1552,  aged  45. 

Low tli,  Dr.  Robert,  bishop  of  London,  learned  writer 
died  1787. 

Lucius,  the  first  Christian  king  of  Britain,  reigned  77 
years,  founded  the  first  church  in  London,  at  St. 
Peter's,  Cornhill,  179. 

Lydgate,  John,  the  historian,  lived  in  1440. 

Macklin,  Mr.  Charles,  the  comedian,  died  July  11 
1797,  aged  97. 

Maitland,  William,  the  historian,  died  1757. 

Mallet,  David,  dramatic  author,  died  1765. 

Marlborough,  John,  duke  of,  died  June  16,  1722,  agen 
72. 

Marvel,  Andrew,  the  patriot,  born  1620,  died  1678. 

Maskelyne,  Neville,  English  astronomer,  died  1772. 

Maskelvne,  Rev.  Nevil,  astronomer  royal,  born  Oct. 
6,  1782,  died  Feb.  9,  1811. 

Monk,  general,  born  1608,  died  January  4,  1669-70. 

Monmouth,  duke  of,  beheaded  1685,  aged  35. 

Moore,  sir  John,  killed  in  the  battle  of  Corunna,  Jan 
16,  1809. 

More,  sir  Thomas,  born  1480,  beheaded  July  6,  J535 
aged  55. 

Mozart,  Wolfang  Amadeus,  musical  composer,  born 
Jan.  27,  1756,  died  Dec.  5,  1792. 

Murphy,  Arthur,  died  June  18,  1805,  aged  77. 

Nelson,  adm.  lord  viscount,  duke  of  Bronte,  killed  in 
battle  in  the  glorious  victory  off  Trafalgar,  Oct.  2I; 
1805,  buried  at  the  public  expense,  in  St.  Paul’s  ca 
thedral,  Jan.  10,  1806. 


254  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND 

Newton,  sir  Isaac,  born  Dec.  25,  1642,  died  March  20, 
1726-7. 

Northumberland,  Dudley,  beheaded  for  attempting  ta 
put  Lady  Jane  Grey  on  the  English  throne,  1553. 

Oldcastle,  Sir  John,  hanged  and  burnt  without  Tem- 
ple-bar, 1418  ; the  first  protestant  martyr. 

Ormond,  duke  of,  impeached  June  21,  1715;  retired 
to  France  August  following;  died  in  France,  and 
was  buried  May  22,  1749. 

Ossian  flourished  as  a poet  in  300. 

Palliser,  Sir  Hugh,  died  March  19,  1796,  aged  75. 

Paris,  Matthew,  the  historian,  died  1259. 

Partridge,  John,  the  astrologer,  born  1644,  died  1715. 

Percival,  Spencer,  prime  minister  of  England,  assas- 
sinated May  11,  1812. 

Pitt,  William,  earl  of  Chatham,  died  May  11,  1778, 
aged  70,  and  buried  at  the  public  expense  in  West- 
minster Abbey  June  9,  following. 

, William,  son  of  tne  foregoing,  and  prime  minis 

ter  of  England,  died  January  23,  1GO6. 

Plot,  Dr.  Robert,  - antiquarian  and  historical  write 
born  1641,  died  1696. 

Pomfret,  Rev.  Mr.  the  Poet,  died  young,  1709. 

Pope,  Alexander,  the  poet,  died  1744,  aged  55. 

Pretender,  the  old,  born  June  10,  1688,  died  1776. 

, the  young,  his  son,  born  Nov.  31,  1720, 

died  January  31,  1788,  without  male  issue. 

Prior,  Matthew,  died  Sept.  18,  1721,  aged  56. 

Raleigh,  sir  Walter,  beheaded  October  29,  1618,  aged 
65. 

Randolph,  Thomas,  English  historian,  born  1605,  died 
1634. 

Rapin,  de  Thoyras,  English  historian,  died  May  16, 
1725,  aged  64. 

Richardson,  Samuel,  moral  writer,  died  1761,  aged 
72. 

Russel,  lord  William, beheaded  July  21,  1683. 

Reynolds,  sir  Joshua,  died  Feb.  24,  1792,  aged  69. 

Sacheverel,  Rev.  Dr.  silenced,  March  23,  1710,  di- 
ed 1723. 

Sancroft,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  born  1616;  com 
mitted  to  the  Tower,  tried,  and  acquitted,  1688 
deprived,  1689;  died  Nov.  26,  1693,  aged  77. 

Selden,  John,  born  1584,  died  Oct.  30,  1654. 


APPENDIX. 


2D  5 

Shakspeare,  bom  1564,  died  April  3,  1616. 

Sharp,  Granville,  one  of  the  first  who  set  on  foot 
the  inquiry  into  the  African  Slave  Trade,  died  July 
^ 8,  1813. 

Shenstone,  William,  English  poet  and  miscellaneous 
writer,  died  1763. 

Sheridan,  Richard  Brinsley,  born  Oct.  1751,  died  July 
^ 7,  1816. 

Shovel,  sir  Cloudsley,  lost  on  the  rocks  of  Scilly,  Oct. 

22.  1707,  aged  56. 

Sidney,  sir  Philip,  born  1554,  killed  in  battle  Sept  j 

22,  ‘1586. 

— , Algeron,  beheaded  Dec.  7,  1683. 

Smollet,  Dr.  Tobias,  the  historian,  died  Sept.  17, 

1771. 

Spelman,  sir  Henry,  the  antiquarian,  died  1641,  aged 
80. 

Spence,  Thomas,  political  economist,  died  Oct.  1814 
Spencer,  the  poet,  born  1510,  died  1598. 

Steele,  sir  Richard,  died  September  1,  1729,  aged  53. 

Stillingfleet,  bishop  of  Worcester,  died  1699. 

Temple,  sir  William,  died  January,  1699,  aged  69. 

Thomson,  James,  died  Aug.  27,  1748,  aged  46. 

Thurlow,  lord,  died  Sept.  12,  1806,  aged  71. 

Tillotson,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  died  1694,  aged 
63. 

Tooke,  John  Horne,  born  1736,  died  March  18,  1812. 

Trenchard,  John,  born  1662,  died  1723. 

Tyler,  Wat,  the  rebel,  killed,  1381. 

Vernon,  admiral,  died  1757,  aged  73. 

Walker,  the  Rev.  Mr.  defended  Londonderry,  1689 ; 

slain  at  the  battle  of  the  Boyne,  1690. 

Wallace,  sir  William,  eminent  Scotch  general,  killed 
1304. 

Waller,  Edmund,  English  poet,  died  1687,  aged  81. 

Walpole,  sir  Robert,  earl  of  Oxford,  born  1674:  died 
1745. 

Warwick,  earl  of,  the  king-maker,  defeated  and  slain 
at  the  battle  of  Barnet,  Apnl  14,  1461. 

Watts,  Dr.  Isaac,  born  1673,  died  1748. 

West,  James,  the  antiquarian,  died  July  2,  1772. 

Whitbread,  Samuel,  died  by  his  own  hand,  July  6 
1815. 

Wickliffe,  opposed  the  Dope’s  supremacy,  1377  $ di- 


256 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


ed  1384;  and  40  years  after  burnt  for  boing  a her 
etic. 

Wijkes,  John,  the  patriot,  died  December  26,  1797, 
aged  70. 

William,  prince,  son  of  Henry  I.  lost  in  his  passage 
from  Normandy,  1120. 

Williams,  sir  Charles  Hanbury,  English  historian  and 
poet,  died  1759. 

Wilson,  Arthur,  the  historian,  born  1596,  died  1652. 

Wolfe,  general,  killed  before  Quebec,  September  13, 
17b9,  aged  33. 

Wolsey,  minister  to  Henry  VIII.  1513,  died  Novem- 
ber 18,  1530,  aged  59. 

Woollet,  William,  the  engraver,  died  May  23,  1785, 
aged  50. 

Wycherly,  William,  born  1640,  died  January  1,  1715- 
16. 

Wykeham,  William  of,  eminent  English  prelate,  bish 
op  of  Winchester,  died  1404. 

Young,  Dr.  Edward,  died  1765,  aged  81. 


III. 


BATTLES  IN  ENGLISH  HISTORY. 


Shropshire,  when  Caracta- 
cus  was  taken  prisoner, 
51  after  Christ. 

Stamford,  in  Lincolnshire, 
the  first  between  the 
Britons  and  Saxons,  in 
449. 

Hellston,  in  Cornwall,  and 
in  the  Isle  of  Shepey, 
between  Egbert  and  the 
Danes,  834. 

The  Isle  of  Thanet,  where 
the  English  were  de- 
feated, and  the  Danes 
settled,  854. 

Assenden, where  the  Danes 
were  defeated  by  Al- 
fred and  Ethelred,  871. 


Wilton,  where  the  English 
were  defeated  by  the 
Danes,  872. 

Bury,  between  Edward 
the  Elder,  and  his  cous- 
in Ethelward,  905. 

Malden,  beween  Edward 
and  the  Danes,  913. 

Stamford)  between  Ed- 
ward, the  Danes,  and 
Scots,  923. 

Widendane,  between  A- 
thelstan,  the  Irish,  and 
Scots,  938. 

Asnden,  between  Canute 
and  Edmund,  1016. 

Battle-bridge,  between 
Harold  II.  and  Harlin- 


APPENDIX. 


257 


ger,  Sept.  25,  1066. 

Hastings,  where  king  Har- 
old was  slain,  Oct.  14, 
1066. 

Alnwick,  1092. 

Northallerton,  Aug.  22, 
1138. 

Alnwick,  1174. 

Ascalon,  Sept.  16,  1191. 

Lincoln,  May  19,  1217. 

Lewes,  May  14,  1264. 

Evesham,  Aug.  5,  1265. 

Dunbar,  April  27,  129G. 

Falkirk,  July  22,  1298. 

Bannockourn,  June  25, 
1314;  when  the  English 
were  defeated. 

Halidon-hill,  near  Ber- 
wick, when  20,200  of 
the  Scots  were  slain  Ju- 
ly 29,  1333L 

Crcssy,  Aug.  26,  1346. 

Durham,  when  David  king 
of  Scotland  was  taken 
prisoner,  Oct.  17,  1346. 

Nevil’s  cross,  in  Durham, 
1347. 

Poictiers,  when  the  king 
of  France  and  his  son 
were  taken  prisoners, 
Sept.  19,  1356. 

Otterborn,  between  Hot- 
spur and  earl  Douglas, 
July  31,  1388. 

Shrewsbury,  July  22,  1403. 

Monmouth,  March  11,  and 
May  11,  1405. 

Agincourt,  Oct.  25,  1415. 

Beauge,  where  the  duke 
of  Clarence  and  1500 
English  were  killed,  A- 
pril3,  1421. 

patay,  under  Joan  of  Arc, 
June  10,  1429. 

VOL.  II. 


St.  Alban’s,  May  22, 1455. 
Bloreheath,  Sept.  22, 1459. 
Northampton,  July*  19, 
1460. 

Wakefield,  Dec.  31,  1460 
Towton,  March  29,  1461. 
St.  Alban’s,  14G1. 
Mortimer’s  Cross,  1461 
Hexham,  May  15,  1463. 
Banbury,  July  26,  1469. 
Stamford,  March  13,  1470. 
Barnet.  April  14,  1471. 
Tewkesbury,  May  4,  14M, 
Bosworth,  Aug.  22,  1485. 
Stoke,  June  6,  1487. 
Blackhteath,  June  22,  1497. 
Flodden,  Sept.  9,  1513, 
when  James  IV.  was  kil- 
led. 

Solway,  Nov.  24,  1542. 
Hopton-heath,  March  19, 

1642. 

Worcester,  Sept.  23, 1642. 
Edgehill,  Oct.  23,  1642. 
Brentford,  in  1642. 
Barham-moor,  March  29, 

1643. 

Lansdown,  July  5,  1645. 
Round-away-down,  July 
13,  1643. 

Newbury,  Sept.  20.  1643. 
Alresford,  March  29,  1644. 
Cropedy-bridge,  June  6, 

1644. 

Marston  moor,  July  2,. 
1644. 

Newark,  in  1644. 
Newbury,  Oct.  27,  1644. 
Naseby,  June,  1645. 

Alford,  July  2,  1645. 
Kingston,  in  Surrey,  1647 
Worcester,  Sept.  3,  1651. 
Sedgemocr,  Aug.  6,  1685. 
Both  well-bridge,  June  22 
ifi&i 


17 


258  ' 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Boyne,  in  Ireland,  July  1, 
1690. 

Fleuras,  July  12,  1690. 
Blenheim,  Aug.  2,  1704. 
Tirlemont,  1705. 

Ramifies,  Whitsunday, 
1706. 

Almanza,  in  Spain,  1707. 
Oudenard,  June  30,  1708. 
Malplaquet,Sept.  1 1, 1709. 
Almanza,  July  16,  1710. 
Denain,  in  1712. 

Preston,  Nov.  12,  1715. 
Dumblain,  Nov.  13,  1715. 
Dettingen,  June  15,  1743. 
Fontenoy,  April  30,  1745. 
Preston-Pans,  Sept.  21, 
1745. 

Falkirk,  Jan.  17,  1746. 
Roucoux,  April  12,  1746. 
Culloden,  April  17,  1746. 
Fort  du  Quesne,  July  9, 
1755. 

Lake  St.  George,  Sept.  8, 
1755. 

Calcutta,  June,  1756,  and 
in  1759. 

Plassey,  Feb.  5,  1757. 
Minden,  Aug.  1759. 
Niagara,  July  24,  1759. 
Quebec,  Sept,  15,  1759. 
Lexington,  near  Boston, 
April  19,  1775. 
Bunkers-hill,June  17,  1775 
Long-Island,  Aug.27,  1776. 
White  Plains, Nov.30, 1776 
Brandy-Wine  Creek,  Sep. 
13,  1777. 

Saratoga,  Oct.  7,  1777. 
Germantown,  Oct.  14,1777 
Rhode  Island,  Oct.14, 1778 
Camden,  Aug.  16,  1780. 
Guildford, March  16, 1781. 
Ycrk  Town,  Oct.  29,  1781. 


Seringapatam,  1791. 

Tournay,  Maj  8,  1793. 

Valenciennes,  May  23 
1793. 

Cambray,  Aug.  9,  1793. 

Lincelles,  Aug.  18,  1793. 

Dunkirk,  Sept.  7,  1793. 

Quesnoy,  Sept.  7,  1793. 

Toulon,  Oct.  1,  1793. 

Cateau,  March  28,  1794. 

Landrecy,  April  24,  1794. 

Cateau,  April  26.  1794. 

Ostend,  May  5,  1794. 

Tournay,  May  18  1794. 

Maestricht,  Sept.  18,  1794. 

Nimeguen,  Nov.  4,  1794. 

Quiberon,  July  21,  1795. 

Kilcullen,  Ireland,  May 
22,  1798. 

Naas,  May  23,  1798,  at 
Stratford  upon  Slaney  ; 
at  Backestown,  May  25  ; 
at  Dunleven,  May  25 ; 
at  Taragh,  May  26  5 at 
Carlow,  May  27  ; at  Mo 
nasterevan,  the  same 
day  ; at  Kildare,  May 
28  5 at  Ballacanoe  and 
at  Newtonbury,  June  1 ; 
at  New  Ross,  June  5; 
at  Antrim  the  same  day  ; 
at  Acklow,  June  9 ; at 
Ballynahinch,  June  13; 
at  Ovidstown,  June  19; 
at  Bally narush,  June  20. 

Seringapatam, May  4,1792 

Maida,  July  6,  1806. 

Vimiera,  Aug.  21,  1808. 

Corunna,  Jan.  16,  1869. 

Oporto,  May  11,  1809. 

Talavera  de  la  Reyna,  Ju 
ly  27,  1809. 

Buzaco,  Sept.  27,  1810. 

Barossa,  March  5,  1811. 


! 


APPENDIX. 


25$ 


Albuera,  May  16,  1811. 
Buenos  Ayres  and  Monte 
Video,  May  18,  1811. 
Ciudad  Rodrigo.  Sept.  25, 

1811. 

Salamanca,  July  22,  1812. 
Fort  George,  on  the  Ni- 
agara, May  27,  1813. 
Burlington  Heights,  June 
6,  1813. 


Vittoria,  June  21,  1813. 
Pyrenees,  July  28,  1813. 
St.  Jean  de  L.uz,  Nov.  1G> 
1813. 

Black-rock,  Dec.  30, 1813 
Toulouse,  April  10,  1814. 
Chippeway,  July  5,  1814. 
Baltimore,  Sept.  12,  1814. 
Ligny,  June  16,  1815. 
Waterloo,  June  18,  1815. 


IV. 

SEA-FIGHTS,  since  the  Spanish,  Armada. 


Between  the  English 
fleet  and  the  Spanish  ar- 
mada, 1588. 

In  the  Downs,  with  the 
Dutch,  June  19,  1652. 

Again,  Sept.  28,  Oct.  28, 
Nov.  29,  1652. 

Off  Portsmouth,  wheu  ad- 
miral Blake  took  11 
Dutch  men  of  war,  and 
30  merchant  ships,  Feb. 
10,  1653. 

Off  the  North  Foreland, 
when  the  Dutch  lost 
20  men  of  war,  June  2, 
1653. 

On  the  coast  of  Holland, 
when  they  lost  30  men  of 
war,  and  admiral  Tromp 
was  killed,  July  29, 
1653. 

At  the  Canaries,  when 
Blake  destroyed  the  gal- 
leons, April,  1657. 

Off  Harvvick,  when  18  cap- 
ital Dutch  ships  were 
taken,  and  14  destroyed, 
June  3,  1665. 


The  earl  of  Sandwich  took 
12  men  of  war  and  two 
East  India  ships,  Sept. 
4,  1665. 

Again,  when  the  English 
lost  nine  and  the  Dutch 
15  ships,  June  4,  1666. 

At  Southwold-bay,  when 
the  earl  of  Sandwich 
was  blown  up,  and  the 
Dutch  defeated  by  the 
Duke  of  York,  May  28, 
1672. 

Off  Beachy-head,  when 
the  English  and  Dutch 
were  defeated  by  the 
French,  June  30,  1690. 

Off  La  Hogue,  when  the 
French  fleet  was  entire 
ly  defeated,  and  21  large 
men  of  war  destroyed, 
May  19,  1692. 

The  Vigo  fleet  taken  by 
the  English  and  Dutch, 
Oct.  12,  1702. 

Between  the  French  and 
English,  Aug.  24,  1704 

At  Gibraltar,  when  the 


260 


HISTORY  OF  -ENGLAND. 


Frencn  lost  5 men  of 
war,  November  5,  1704. 

French  fleet  destroyed  by 
sir  George  Byng,  July 
31,  1718. 

Off  Toulon,  Feb.  9,  1744. 

Off  Cape  Finisterre,  when 
the  French  fleet  was  ta- 
ken by  admiral  Anson, 
May  3,  1747. 

Off  Ushant,  when  admiral 
Hawke  took  seven  men 
of  war  of  the  French, 
Oct.  14,  1747. 

Off  Belleisle,  when  he 
took  14  sail  of  victual- 
lers, July  14,  1756. 

French  beaten  off  Cape 
Lagos,  by  admiral  Bos- 
cawen,  Aug.  18,  1759.’ 

Ofl'  Quiberon  Bay,  when 
Hawke  defeated  the 
French,  Nov.  20,  1752. 

Off  Ushant,  a drawn  bat- 
tle, between  Keppel  and 
Dorvilliers,July  17, 1778 

Near  Cape  St.  Vincent, 
between  admiral  Rod- 
ney and  admiral  Don 
Lagara,  when  the  latter 
was  defeated  and  taken 
prisoner,  Jan.  8,  1780. 

Near  Cadiz,  when  admi- 
ral Rodney  defeated  the 
Spaniards,  Jan.  16,  F18O. 

Dogger  Bank,  between  ad- 
miral Parker  and  the 
Dutch,  August  5,  1781. 

When  admiral  Rodney  de- 
feated the  French  going 
to  attack  Jamaica,  and 
took  five  ships  of  the 
line,  and  admiral  count 
de  Grasse,  April  12, 
1782. 


The  same  day  admira, 
Hughes  destroyed  the 
fleet  of  France,  under 
admiral  Suffrein,  in  the 
East  Indies. 

Lord  Howe  totally  defeat- 
ed the  French  fleet,  took 
six  ships  of  war,  and 
sunk  several,  June  1, 
1794. 

The  French  fleet  defeat- 
ed, and  two  ships  of  war 
taken,  by  admiral  Ho* 
tham,  March  14,  1795. 

The  French  fleet  defeat- 
ed by  lord  Bridport, 
June  25,  1795,  and  threo 
ships  of  war  taken,  near 
L’Orient. 

The  Dutch  fleet  under  ad- 
miral Lucas,  in  Saldan- 
na  Bay,  Africa,  consist- 
ing of  five  men  of  war 
and  several  frigates,  sur- 
rendered Aug.  19,  1796. 

The  Spanish  fleet  defeated 
by  sir  J.  Jarvis,  and  four 
line  of  battle  ships  ta- 
ken, Feb.  14,  1797. 

The  Dutch  fleet  was  de 
feated  by  admiral  Dun- 
can, on  the  coast  of  Hol- 
land, where  their  two 
admirals  and  15  ships 
of  war  were  taken  or  de- 
stroyed, Oct.  11,  1797. 

The  French  fleet  of  17 
ships  of  war,  totally  de- 
feated, and  nine  of  them 
taken,  by  sir  Horatio 
Nelson,  Aug.  1,  1798, 
near  the  Nile  in  Egypt. 

The  French,  off  the  coast 
of  Ireland,  consisting  of 


APPENDIX.  2G1 


nine  ships,  by  sir  J.  B. 
Warren,  Oct.  12,  J 783, 
when  he  took  five. 

rile  Dutch  fleet  in  the 
Texel  surrendered  to 
admiral  Mitchell,  on  his 
taking  the  Helder,  Aug. 
29,  1799. 

The  Danish  fleet  of  28 
sail,  taken  or  destroyed 
by  lord  .Nelson,  off  Co- 
penhagen, April  2,  1801. 

Between  the  French  and 
English,  in  the  Bay  of 
Gibraltar:  Hannibal,  of 
74  guns,  lost,  July  5, 
1801. 


Sound,  betwee-n  Denmark 
and  Sweden,  passed  by 
the  English  fleet,  when 
Copenhagen  was  bom- 
barded, April  2,  1801. 
French  and  Spanish  fleets 
totally  defeated  off  Cape 
Trafalgar,,  lord  Nelson 
killed  in  the  action,  Oct. 
21,  1805. 

French  fleet  taken  by  sir 
R.  Strachan,  Nov.  4 

1805. 

French  fleet  defeated  in 
the  West  Indies,  by  sir 
T.  Duckworth,  Feb.  6, 

1806. 


V. 

DATES  OF  IMPROVEMENTS  AND  INVEN- 
TIONS. 

Am-BALLOONS  introduced  into  England,  and  Mr.  Lu* 
nardi  ascended  from  Moorfields,  Sept.  15,  1784  • 
Blanchard  and  Dr.  Jeffries  went  from  Dover  to  Ca- 
lais, Jan.  7,  1785. 

Apricots  first  planted  in  England,  1540. 

Archery  introduced  into  England,  before  440. 

Artichokes  first  planted  in  England,  1487. 

Asparagus  first  produced  in  England,  1608. 

Bajze  manufacture  first  introduced  into  England  at 
Colchester,  1608. 

Beer. — Ale  invented,  1404,  B.  C. ; ale-booths  set  up 
in  England,  728,  and  laws  passed  for  their  regula- 
tion.— Beer  first  introduced  into  England,  1492  ; in 
Scotland,  as  early  as  1482.  By  the  statute  of  James 
I.  one  full  quart  of  the  best  beer  or  ale  was  to  be 
sold  for  one  penny,  and  two  quarts  of  small  beer  for 
cr.c  penny.  In  1822  the  duties  on  beer  were  2,786,- 
5191.  and  on  malt,  5,013,697/. 

Bills  in\ented  by  Paulinus,  bishop  of  Nola,  in  Cam* 
pagnia,  about  400.  The  first  tuneable  set  in  Eng* 


262  HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 

land  were  hung  up  in  Croyland  abbey,  in  Lincoln 
shire,  960  ; baptised  in  churches,  1030. 

Bible  first  translated  into  the  Saxon  language,  939 ; 
into  the  English  language,  by  Tindal  and  Coverdale, 
1534;  first  translation  by  the  king?s  authority,  1536. 

Blankets  first  made  in  England,  1340. 

Books  ; a very  large  estate  given  for  one  on  cosmog 
raphy,  by  king  Alfred;  were  sold  from  10 ?.  to  30?.  a 
piece,  about  1400. 

Bows  and  arrows  introducer^  1066. 

Bread  first  made  with  year*  a’bout  1650.  In  the  yeai 
1754  the  quartern  loaf  w*  s sold  for  4c?. ; three  years 
afterwards,  in  the  year  r>57,  it  rose  to  10cZ.,  and  ir. 
March,  1800,  to  Is.  5c?.,  when  new  bread  was  forbid- 
den, under  the  penalty  of  5s.  per  loaf,  if  the  baker 
sold  it  until  24  hours  old. 

bridge,  the  first  stone  one,  in  England,  at  Bow,  near 
Stratford,  1087. 

Buckles  invented  about  1680. 

Calicos  first  made  in  Lancashise,  in  1772. 

Candles,  tallow,  so  great  a luxury,  that  splinters  of 
wood  were  used  for  lights  ; first  began  to  be  used, 
1290.  No  idea  of  wax  candles,  1300. 

Cannon  invented,  1330;  first  used  by  the  English, 
1346  ; first  used  in  England,  1445  ; first  made  of  iron 
in  England,  1547  ; of  brass,  1635. 

Cauliflowers  first  planted  in  England,  1703. 

Celery  first  introduced  in  1704. 

Chairs,  sedan,  first  used  in  London,  1634. 

Cherry-trees  first  planted  in  Britain,  100  beforeChrist ; 
brought  from  Flanders  and  planted  in  Kent,  1540. 

Chimneys  first  introduced  into  buildings  in  England, 
1200,  only  in  the  kitchen,  or  large  hall;  smoky, 
where  the  family  sat  round  a large  stove,  the  fun- 
nel of  which  passed  through  the  ceiling,  1300. 

China  made  in  England,  at  Chelsea,  in  1752;  at  Bow, 
in  1758;  and  in  several  parts  of  England,  in  1760; 
by  Mr.  Wedgwood,  1762. 

Chocolate  introduced  into  Europe,  from  Mexico,  in 
1520. 

Cloth,  coarse  woollen,  introduced  into  England,  1191  r 
first  made  at  Kendal,  1390 ; medleys  first  made, 
1614. 

Coaches  first  used  in  England.  1580;  an  act  passed  to 


! 


DO 


APPENDIX. 


203 


y 


prevent  men  riding  in  coaches,  as  effeminate,  in 
1601  ; began  to  be  common  in  London,  160b. 

Coals  discovered  near  Newcastle,  1234;  first  dug  at 
Newcastle  by  a charter  granted  the  town  by  Henry 
III.  5 first  used,  1280;  diers,  brewers,  &c.  in  the 
reign  of  Edward  I.  began  to  use  sea-coal  for  fire,  in  . 
1350,  and  he  published  a proclamation  against  it, 
1398,  as  a public  nuisance.  Imported  from  New- 
castle to  London  in  1350  ; in  general  use  in  Lon- 
don, 1400. 

offee  first  brought  into  England,  in  1641. 
offee-trees  were  conveyed  from  Mocha  to  Holland 
in  1616  j and  carried  to  the  West  Indies  in  the  year 
1726;  first  cultivated  at  Surinam  by  the  Dutch,  1713: 
its  culture  encouraged  in  the  plantations,  1732. 

Coin  first  made  round  in  England,  in  i 10 1 ; silver 
halfpence  and  farthings  were  coined  in  the  reign  of 
John,  and  pence  the  largest  current  coin  ; gold  first 
coined  in  England,  1087  ; copper  money  used  only 
in  Scotland  and  Ireland,  1399*,  gold  coined  in  Eng- 
land, 1345;  groats  and  half-groats  the  largest  silver 
coin  in  England,  1531 ; in  1347,  a pound  of  silver 
was  coined  into  22  shillings,  and  in  1352,  a pound 
was  coined  into  25  shillings;  in  1414,  they  were  in- 
creased to  thirty  shillings;  and  in  1500,  a pound  of 
silver  was  coined  into  40  shillings.  In  1530  they 
were  extended  to  62,  which  is  the  same  now ; the 
money  in  Scotland,  till  now  the  same  as  in  England, 
began  to  be  debased,  1354;  gold  first  coined  in  Ven- 
ice, 1346 ; -shillings  first  coined  in  England,  1068; 
crowns  and  half-crowns  first  coined,  1551 : copper 
money  introduced  into  France  by  Henry  HI.  1580  ; 
the  first  legal  copper  coin  introduced,  which  put  an 
end  to  private  leaden  tokens,  universally  practised, 
especially  in  London,  1609 ; copper  money  intro- 
duced into  England  by  James  I.  1620;  milling  coin  • 
introduced,  1662;  halfpence  and  farthings  first  coin- 
ed by  government,  August  16,  1672;  guineas  were 
first  coined,  1673;  silver  coinage,  1696;  broad  pie- 
ces of  gold  called  in  by  government,  and  coined  in- 
to guineas,  1732;  five-shillings  and  three-penny 
pieces  in  gold  were  issued  in  1716  and  1761.  Sove. 
reigns  were  first  coined  in  1820. 

Cow-pox,  inoculation  by,  as  a security  against  small 
pox,  introduced  by  Dr.  Jenner,  1800. 


y 


264 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Creed,  Lord’s  prayer,  and  ten  commandments,  Aral 
translated  into  the  Saxon  tongue,  746. 

Currants  first  planted  in  England,  1533. 

Cider,  called  wine,  made  in  England,  128 L 

Distaff  spinning  first  introduced  into  England,  1505. 

England,  so  named  by  Egbert,  829  5 first  divided  into 
counties,  tithings,  and  hundreds,  890  ; the  first  geo- 
graphical map  of  it,  1520. 

Fairs  and  markets  first  instituted  in  England  by  Alfred, 
about  88fi.  The  first  fairs  took  their  rise  from 
wakes  ; when  the  number  of  people  then  assembled 
brought  together  a variety  of  traders  annually  on 
these  days.  From  these  holidays  they  were  called 
f erics,  or  fairs. 

Fans,  muffs,  masks,  and  false  hair,  brought  into  Eng- 
land from  France,  1572. 

Figures  inarithmitic  introduced  into  England,  in  1454. 

Fruits  and  flowers,  sundry  sorts  before  unknown, 
brought  into  England  in  the  reigns  of  Henry  VII. 
and  VIII.  from  about  1500  to  1578,  as  the  musk  and 
damask  roses,  and  tulips  ; several  sorts  of  plum-trees 
and  currant-plants. 

Gardening  introduced  i.  to  England  from  the  Nether 
lands,  from  whence  vegetables  were  imported,  till 
1509  ; musk  melons  and  apricots  cultivated  in  Eng- 
land ; the  pale  gooseberry,  with  salads,  garden-roots, 
cabbages,  &c.  brought  from  Flanders,  and  hops  from 
Artois,  1520,  the  damask  rose  brought  here  by  Dr. 
Lineacre,  {physician  to  Henry  VIII.  ; pippins 
brought  to  England  by  Leonard  Mascal,  of  Plum- 
stead,  in  Sussex,  1525  ; currants,  or  Corinthian 
grapes,  first  planted  in  England,  1555;  brought  from 
the  Isle  of  Zant,  belonging  to  Venice  ; the  musk- 
rose,  and  several  sorts  of  plums,  from  Italy,  by  lord 
Cromwell;  apricots  brought  here  by  Henry  VIII. 's 

• gardener  ; tamarisk  plant  from  Germany,  by  Arch- 
bishop Grindal  ; at  and  about  Norwich  the  Flem- 
ings first  planted  {towers  unknown  in  England,  as 
gillyflowers,  carnations,  the  Provence  rose,  &c. 
1567  ; woad,  originally  from  Thoulouse,  in  France?; 
tulip  roots  first  brought  into  England  from  Vienna, 
1578 ; also  beans,  peas,  and  salads,  now  in  common 
use,  1660. 

Gas,  use  of,  introduced  in  London  for  lighting  street#, 
1814.  * 


APPENDIX. 


265 


Glass  introduced  into  England  by  Benedict  a monk, 
674;  glass-windows  began  to  be  used  in  private 
houses  in  England,  1180;  glass  first  made  in  England 
into  bottles  and  vessels,  1567 ; the  first  plate  glass 
for  looking-glasses  and  coach- windows  made  at  Lam' 
beth,  1673;  in  Lancashire,  1773;  window-glass  first 
made  in  England,  1557. 

Grapes  brought  to  England,  and  planted  first  in  1552. 

Gunpowder  first  made  in  England,  1418. 

Hats  first  made  in  London,  1510. 

Hemp  and  flax  first  planted  in  England,  1533. 

Heraldry  had  its  rise,  1100. 

Hops,  first  used  in  malt  liquors  in  England,  1525. 

Horse-shoes  introduced  into  general  use  in  800;  first 
made  of  iron  481. 

Inoculation  first  tried  on  criminals,  1721. 

Iron  first  cast  in  England,  1544. 

Knives  first  made  in  England,  1563. 

Lamp  for  preventing  explosion  by  fire-damp  in  coal* 
mines,  invented  in  1815. 

Lanterns  invented  by  king  Alfred,  890. 

Leaden  pipes  for  conveying  water  invented,  1236. 

Life-boats  invented,  1802. 

Linen  first  made  in  England,  1253.  Table  linen  very 
scarce  in  England,  1386. 

Lithographic  printing  brought  into  England,  1801. 

Magic  lantern  invented  by  Roger  Bacon,  1252. 

Magnifying  glasses  invented  by  Roger  Bacon,  1260. 

Mulberry  trees  first  planted  in  England,  1609. 

Muslins  first  manufactured  in  England,  in  1781. 

Navigable  canal,  the  first  in  England,  1134. 

Navy  of  England,  at  the  time  of  the  Spanish  Ar- 
mada, was  only  28  vessels,  none  larger  than  frigates. 
James  I.  increased  10  ships  of  1400  tons,  of  64  guns 
the  largest  then  ever  built.  The  list  of  the  royal 
navy  of  England  was,  in  the  years  . . 1808  and  1817 
King's  ships  in  ordinary  ....  176  370 

in  commission  . 627-  124 

—building  at  different  places  66  36 

Total,  869  530 

Needles  first  made  in  England  1545. 

Newspapers. — First  published  in  England,  by  order 
of  queen  Elizabeth,  and  was  entitled  the  English 


266 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Mercury  one  of  which  is  remaining  in  the  British 
Museum,  dated  July  28,  1588. 

A.  private  newspaper,  called  the  Weekly  Courant,  wag 
printed  in  London,  in  1622. 

A newspaper  was  printed  by  Robert  Barker,  at  New 
castle,  in  1639. — The  Gazette  was  first  published  at 
Oxford,  Aug.  22,  1642. 

After  the  revolution;  the  first  daily  paper  was  called  the 
Orange.  Intelligencer,  and  from  that  time  to  1662, 
there  were  26  newspapers. 

In  1709,  there  were  18  weekly  and  one  daily  paper, 
the  London  Courant. 

In  1795,  there  were  38  published  in  London,  72  in 
the  country,  13  in  Scotland,  and  35  in  Ireland  j in 
all,  158  papers. 

In  1809,  there  were  63  published  in  London,  93 
in  the  country,  24  in  Scotland,  and  37  in  Ireland ; 
making  a total  of  217  newspapers  in  the  United- 
Kingdom. 

New-style  introduced  into  England,  1752. 

Paper,  the  manufacture  of,  introduced  into  England  at 
Dartford,  in  Kent,  1588 ; scarcely  any  but  brown  pa- 
per made  in  England  till  1690}  white  paper  first 
made  in  England,  1690.' 

Parish  registers  first  introduced  by  lord  Cromwell’s 
order,  1538. 

Park,  the  first  in  England,  made  by  Henry  I.  at  Wood- 
stock,  1123. 

Penny-post  set  up  in  London  ana  suburbs,  by  one  Mur- 
ray, an  upholsterer,  1681. 

Pins  were  first  used  in  England  by  Catharine  Howard 
queen  of  Henry  VIII. 

Port-holes  in  ships  of  war  introduced,  1545. 

Posts,  regular,  established  between  London  and  most 
towns  of  England,  Scotland.  Ireland,  &c.,  1635. 

Post-horses  and  stages  established,  1483. 

Post-offices  first  established  in  England.  1581  ; and 
made  general  in  England,  1656  j and,  in  Scot.and 
1695.-— Increased  as  follows  : — 


1644  it  yielded  £5,000 

1664  21,900 

1697  90,505 

1714  145,227 


1744  235,495  1 1822  


1764  it  yielded  £432,018 

1791  481,880 

1807  1,670,423 

1815  2,349,519 

1,958,806 


APPENDIX. 


267 


Tho  first  mail  conveyed  by  stage-coaches  began  Aug. 
1785. 

Potatoes  first  brought  to  England  from  America,  by 
Hawkins,  in  15G3;  introduced  into  Ireland  by  sir 
Walter  Raleigh,  in  1536. 

Printing  brought  into  England  by  William  Caxton,  a 
mercer  of  London,  14?  1,  who  had  a press  in  West- 
minster abbey  till  1494. 

Roads  in  England  first  repaired  by  act  of  Parliament, 
1524. 


Sail-cloth  first  made  in  England,  1590. 

Saltpetre  first  made  in  England,  1625. 

Scenes  first  introduced  into  theatres,  1533. 

Shillings  first  coined  in  England,  1505. 

Ship. — The  first  double-decked  one  built  in  England, 
was  of  1000  tons  burden,  by  order  of  Henry  VII., 
1509;  it  was  called  the  Great  Harry,  and  cost 
1-1,0001.;  before  this,  24-gun  ships  were  the  largest 
in  our  navy,  and  these  mad  no  port-holes,  the  guns 
being  on  the  upper  decks  only. 

Shoes,  of  the  present  fashion,  first  worn  in  England, 
1633. 

Side-saddles  first  used  in  England,  1380. 

Silk  manufactured  in  England,  1604. — First  worn  by 
the  English  clergy,  1534. — Broad-silk  manufacture 
from  raw  silk  introduced  into  England,  1620. — 
Lombe’s  famous  silk-throwing  machine  erected  at 
Derby,  1719. 

Soap  first  made  at  London  and  Bristol, 1524. 

Steam-boat  established  between  Norwich  and  Yar- 
mouth, Nov.  1813. — Steam-boat  capable  of  convey- 
ing 300  persons,  commenced  its  passage  between 
Litnehouse  and  Gravesend,  Feb.  1815. 

Stereotype  printing  invented  by  William  Ged,  a gold 
smith  of  Edinburgh,  1735. 

Stirrups  first  used  in  the  sixth  century. 

Stone  buildings  first  introduced  into  England,  674. 

Sunday-schools  first  established  in'  Yorkshire,  1784 
became  general  in  England  and  Scotland,  in  1789. 

Tea,  coffee,  and  chocolate,  first  mentioned  in  the  stat 
ute  books,  1660. 

Thread  first  made  at  Paisley,  in  Scotland,  in  1722. 

Tiles  first  used  in  England,  1246. 

Tobacco  first  brought  into  England,  1583. 


268 


HISTORY  OF  ENGLAND. 


Towers,  high,  first  erected  to  churches,  in  1000. 
Turkeys  came  into  England,  1523. 

Watches  first  brought  to  England  from  Germany,  1577 
Water  first  conveyed  to  London,  by  leaden  pipes 
1237. 


Weavers,  two,  from  Brabant,  settled  at  York,  1331. 

Weavers,  diers,  cloth-drapers,  linen-makers,  silk- 
throwsters,  Slc.  Flemish,  settled  at  Canterbury, 
Norwich,  Sandwich,  Colchester,  Maidstone,  South 
amoton,  &.c,  on  account  of  the  duke  of  Alva’s  per 
secution,  1567. 

Weights  and  measures  fixed  to  a standard  in  England, 
1257. 

Wine  first  made  in  England,  1140. 

Woollen-cloth  first  made  in  England  in  1331  ; medley 
1614  ; first  died  and  dressed  in 


cloths  first  made, 


England,  in  161 1. 

Workers,  cloth,  70  families  of,  from  the  Netherlands, 
settled  in  England,  by  Edward  lll.’s  invitation 
1330.  ° A ^ 


r 


VI. 


DISCOVERIES  AND  SETTLING  OF  BRITISH 
COLONIES. 


America,  North,  first  dis- 
covered by  Sebastian 
Cabot,  1497  5 settled,  in 
1610. 

Anguilla,  iD  the  Carib- 
bees,  first  planted,  1650. 

Antigua  settled,  1632. 

Baffin’s  Bay  discovered, 
1622. 

Bahama  isles  taken  pos- 
session of,  1718. 

Barbadoes  discovered  and 
planted,  1614. 

Barbuda  planted,  1628. 

Bengal  conquered,  1758. 

Bermuda  isles  settled, 
1612. 


Boston,  in  New-Er.glanJ, 
built,  1630 

Botany  Bay  settlement, 
17S7. 

Caledonia,  in  America, 
settled,  1699. 

Canada  taken  by  England, 
1759. 

Cape  Breton  taken  and 
kept  1753. 

Cape  of  Good  Hope  tak 
en,  1798. 

Carolina  planted,  1629. 

Ceylon  taken,  1804. 

Christopher’s,  St.  settled, 
1626. 

Georgia  erected,  1739 


APPENDIX. 


269 


Helegoland  taken,  1808.  | 

Helena,  St.  settled,  1651.  | 

Hudson's  Bay  discovered, 
1607. 

Jamaica  conquered,  1656. 

Maryland  province  plant- 
ed, 1633. 

Montserrat  planted  by 
England,  1632. 

Nevis  planted  by  England, 
1628. 

New -England  planted, 
1620. 

Newfoundland  discover- 


| cd,  1497,  settled,  1614 
| Nevv-Jersey,  in  America 
planted,  1637. 

New-York  settled,  1664. 

Nova-Scotia  settled,  1622 

Pennsylvania  charta  fo 
planting,  1680. 

Sierra  Leone  coast  set 
tied,  1790. 

Surinam  planted  by  Eng 
land,  1640. 

Tobago  conquered,  1781. 

Virginia,  settlement  of. 
1636. 


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